BlogRecap

July 13, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: Let’s Talk About Class

In organisations across the UK, there are conversations about the importance of diversity and inclusion going on at every level, but there’s a strong chance that class and socio-economic background (SEB) isn’t yet being discussed.   However, we know it should be. Research has shown that whether they’re looking to get hired, network, or secure a […]

Blog

June 15, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Social Mobility Awareness Day: Why does it matter?

Why does social mobility matter? It’s a great question, and one that is often not widely understood. Social Mobility Awareness Day is a great opportunity to inform and educate about the need to put social mobility at the heart of the UK. As part of this year’s “Speak More” focused day, we spoke to Commissioner […]

Blog

June 15, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer blog: Social Mobility Awareness Day

June 15th is Social Mobility Day, which means there’s never been a better time to talk about what social mobility is, why it matters and how we can all help to create a fairer, more equal path to success for everyone. As part of our celebration of the day, we asked Raj Tulsiani, CEO and […]

News

May 25, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Secondment opportunity

  Please note that the deadline to apply for this opportunity has now passed.    The Social Mobility Commission is looking to appoint two secondees to join our dynamic secretariat on a 3-month secondment.  The Social Mobility Commission is an advisory arms-length body which is sponsored by the Cabinet Office. The Social Mobility Commission exists […]

Blog

May 25, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer Blog: An award-winning outreach collaboration combatting socio-economic cultural bias in universities

Following on from last week’s Employer Masterclass: Outreach and Social Mobility, Enterprise shares with us how the award-winning outreach programme they have developed with a partner has impacted the lives of many young students at university.   Enterprise formed a partnership with TG Consulting, an educational and employability consultancy whose focus is on diversity and […]

BlogRecap

May 19, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: Outreach and social mobility

Engaging with candidates from a low socio-economic background through outreach can be a really powerful way to raise awareness of your organisation and industry and reach a wider range of prospective employees.  Not only does it benefit students and young people, encouraging them to think about the range of career and training options available to […]

BlogRecap

May 4, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: Accents in the Workplace

Your accent is not directly relevant to work outputs. Simple, right? Despite that, we often unthinkingly associate certain accents with certain stereotypes, with public perceptions of Received Pronunciation being largely positive as opposed to accents associated with industrial cities of England and ethnic minorities.  Accent bias can have many repercussions in the workplace, with the […]

Blog

April 26, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Accent bias – what does that mean in practice?

In Speaking Up: Accents and social mobility, published last year by the Sutton Trust, researchers looked at accent bias throughout life, highlighting how experiences differed by socio-economic background. They found that ‘public attitudes to different accents have remained largely unchanged over time – with Received Pronunciation (RP – sometimes known as ‘Queen’s English’ or ‘BBC […]

BlogRecap

April 12, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: The art of using storytelling to build inclusion

Storytelling is one of the most powerful forms of communication – grabbing our attention, creating empathy, and allowing opportunities for everyone to be open to new perspectives.   In our latest masterclass we explored how storytelling can help your organisation to have inclusive conversations about class and socio-economic background within the workplace.   We were joined by […]

BlogRecap

February 14, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: Using Apprenticeships to improve social mobility and build skills for life

Apprenticeships offer numerous benefits to learners, including the opportunity to earn while you learn, which is especially important for disadvantaged apprentices. They can also help organisations of all sizes, in all industries, build diverse and talented workforces.  However, research shows that the majority of apprentices are not from lower socio-economic backgrounds. So what can employers […]

BlogRecap

January 24, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: Using workforce data to understand and improve social mobility

As an employer, data is one of the most important tools you have for understanding and improving diversity in your workplace, including social mobility. However, many employers report that collecting socio-economic data remains their biggest challenge. In our latest masterclass we explored the importance of collecting relevant and high quality data, including practical advice such […]

Blog

January 17, 2023 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer blog: Using data to improve socio-economic inclusion

Data is one of the most important tools you have to understand and improve diversity in your workplace. Any forward-looking socio-economic diversity and inclusion strategy begins with data. Collecting the right data, and knowing what to do with it, will help to shape your plans at every stage. However, many employers report that collecting socio-economic […]

Blog

December 5, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: T Levels: What, why, where and how?

T Levels are a new alternative to A levels and other further education courses in England. Equivalent to 3 A levels, a T Level focuses on vocational skills and can help students into employment, higher education or apprenticeships. Each T Level includes an in-depth industry placement that lasts at least 45 days, so students spend […]

News

November 29, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Announcing our new Employer Advisory Group

*Updated 21 February 2023* The Social Mobility Commission has today announced the membership of its new Employer Advisory Group (EAG).  The Employer Advisory Group has been put in place to drive social mobility in the workplace in the UK and support the Commission’s employer focused programme of work.  The role of the EAG will be […]

Blog

November 14, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: In conversation with Ann Francke OBE, The building blocks of social mobility in the workplace

We recently launched our new ‘Building Blocks Toolkit’, which provides simple, first-step guidance to help businesses and organisations of all sizes, up and down the country, access a wealth of untapped talent and kickstart their socio-economic diversity strategy.  On 9th November we were delighted to be joined by Ann Francke OBE, Chief Executive of the […]

Employer Newsletter

November 10, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer newsletter – 8 November 2022

Hello, It’s your last chance to register for our event tomorrow – ‘In conversation with Ann Francke OBE: The building blocks of social mobility in the workplace.’ We’re really looking forward to hearing Ann’s insights into the role of senior leaders and managers in boosting inclusion and widening opportunities, and we hope to see you […]

Blog

November 8, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Lifelong Learning – how can we support adults to learn?

Lifelong Learning Week (7th-11th November) is a celebration of the power of learning to transform people’s lives. Coordinated by Festival of Learning, it is a week of activity which aims to celebrate the benefits of lifelong learning and inspire more adults to learn. As part of our celebration of Lifelong Learning Week, Alun Francis, Deputy […]

Blog

November 1, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer blog: Increasing social mobility through management and leadership culture

Socio-economic inclusion is not solely the domain of big corporate businesses with large HR departments. It’s about helping businesses and organisations of all sizes, up and down the country, to access a wealth of untapped talent. Don’t worry if you are only just getting started with this agenda – even the most inclusive employers need to […]

Blog

October 31, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: Mentoring as a tool to support social mobility

To celebrate National Mentoring Day (27th October), we brought together an engaging panel to explore the importance of mentoring in supporting workplace progression and social mobility, and discuss their advice for setting up and participating in a mentoring programme.   If you missed it, you can watch the recording below, and read on for our top […]

Blog

October 24, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer blog: Taking small steps with mentoring

October 27th marks the ninth National Mentoring Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of the benefits of mentoring and encourage more people to get involved!  We know that mentoring can play a key role in supporting workplace progression, and we’re delighted to be running a masterclass on October 27th, exploring ‘Mentoring as a tool to […]

Blog

October 14, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Employer blog: National T-Levels Week

The first ever National T Levels Week is running from 10th-14th October, celebrating T Levels and the benefits they bring to both young people and businesses. T Levels are an alternative to A levels and other further education courses. Equivalent to 3 A levels, a T Level focuses on vocational skills and can help students […]

Blog

October 12, 2022 | Social Mobility Commission

Recap: The importance of culture and leadership – in conversation with I. Stephanie Boyce, President of the Law Society

An organisation’s culture – the behaviours, values and practices that shape the everyday experiences of its staff – is key to a truly diverse and inclusive workforce. Simply employing people from a variety of backgrounds does not guarantee an inclusive culture, but what steps can you take to ensure that everyone feels valued and supported […]

EventsNews

Employer Consultation

Thanks to everyone who attended the launch of our new Employer Consultation. It was great to see so many of you there, and we look forward to receiving your responses!  The consultation is now live, and will be open until 24th October 2022. We want to understand what activities and interventions employers are finding most […]