Employer Newsletter

June 26, 2023 | Paula Kemp

Employer newsletter – 26 June

If you want to receive regular updates from us, please complete this form here to join our mailing list. Two weeks ago we previewed our new Data Explorer Tool, coming in September, and it was great to see so many of you at our demonstration events, either online or in Manchester!  While we’re working hard to get […]

Blog

May 15, 2023 | Paula Kemp

Employer blog – Meeting the ambitions of employers and young people: from outreach to intake

In today’s blog, Oli de Botton, CEO of  The Careers & Enterprise Company shares with us how employers can engage with schools and colleges through Outreach, and the benefits of building long term relationships.     “As far back as 1888 Royal Commissioner Sir Philip Magnus was asking ‘what, if any relation, should exist between school […]

Blog

May 2, 2023 | Paula Kemp

Employer blog: The powerful benefits of outreach through mentoring

In our SMC employer consultation at the end of 2022, we found that almost all employers who responded participated in outreach, using it to: raise awareness of their organisation and industry to a wider reach of prospective employees reach students at an early stage to encourage them to think about the range of career and […]

Blog

March 29, 2023 | Paula Kemp

Storytelling to support social mobility

Storytelling is a powerful tool to support your organisation’s social mobility strategy. It can help colleagues to understand the challenges others have faced, helps leaders to understand how they can help and promotes an inclusive, trust-based culture. Ahead of our employers’ masterclass ‘The art of using storytelling to build inclusion’ we asked Shannon Miller, from […]

Employer Newsletter

September 1, 2022 | Paula Kemp

Employer newsletter – 01 September 2022

We’re preparing for a lot of exciting events in the coming months, including the launch of our brand new Building Blocks Toolkit, which will help organisations of all sizes to kickstart their socio-economic diversity strategy.  We’re also launching our new Employer Consultation, and we want you to get involved. Find out more about how you […]

News

June 23, 2022 | Paula Kemp

State of the Nation 2022: A fresh approach to social mobility

Message from our Chair, Katharine Birbalsingh CBE and Deputy Chair, Alun Francis OBE: It is a great privilege for us to be writing this, as the new Chair and Deputy Chair of the Social Mobility Commission, on the day we publish our annual report on social mobility in the UK:  State of the Nation 2022: […]

Blog

June 16, 2022 | Paula Kemp

Employer blog: Maisha Rashid, Purchase Ledger Administrator, Jupiter Asset Management

In celebration of Social Mobility Awareness Day, which takes place on 16 June 2022, we are sharing stories from some of the organisations that are committed to bringing about positive change. Our second blog comes from Maisha Rashid, Purchase Ledger Administrator, Jupiter Asset Management telling her story of how undertaking an apprenticeship was the right […]

Blog

June 15, 2022 | Paula Kemp

Employer blog: Lennon Ball at Phoenix Group

In celebration of Social Mobility Awareness Day, which takes place on 16 June 2022, we are sharing stories from some of the organisations that are committed to bringing about positive change.   Our first blog comes from Lennon Ball, telling his story of how being employed at Phoenix through the recent Kickstart Scheme (a government-funded scheme […]

BlogEvents

Recap – Employers Masterclass: Apprenticeships

Employers and training providers rely on apprenticeship programmes to provide new opportunities, upskill people from inside and outside their organisation and contribute to a more innovative, inclusive workforce. In our latest masterclass we considered how an organisation’s early careers strategy could help access the most diverse pool of talent – and whether there’s more employers […]

News

May 19, 2021 | SMC Admin

New report: Are progression policies hindering social mobility?

Social mobility isn’t just about who gets in, it is also about who gets on. While it is important to make sure that employment opportunities are open to individuals from a low socio-economic background (SEB), it is equally crucial that once onboard, all employees have equal access to opportunities for progression. The Social Mobility Commission’s (SMC) […]

Blog

March 31, 2021 | SMC Admin

Social Mobility Data Masterclass – why you need to #AskTheQuestion

In our recent Social Mobility Data Masterclass, we explored the importance of collecting data on employee’s socio-economic backgrounds for creating effective diversity and inclusion strategies. You can watch the recording of the Social Mobility Data Masterclass here*. We were joined by Andrew Young, Workforce Diversity Lead at the BBC; Cliff Sale, Social Mobility Programme Lead, […]

Blog

March 30, 2021 | SMC Admin

The cross-roads of social mobility: post 16 education choices

As they reach the age of 16, young people make critical decisions – this is a pivotal moment that will have a lasting impact on their future prospects in life. These choices strongly influence their future educational opportunities, employment prospects and how much they’ll go on to earn. In other words, they impact social mobility. […]

Blog

February 15, 2021 | SMC Admin

Apprenticeships, a game-changer for social mobility

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2021, we held a special event on 10 February exploring how apprenticeships can drive social mobility. In this session we looked at the positive impact they can have on your workforce, but also delved into some of the key challenges faced by employers in reaching a diverse pipeline of talent. […]

Blog

December 10, 2020 | SMC Admin

Explore our new resource for financial & professional services

We’re proud to announce the launch of our very first sector-specific toolkit – financial & professional services. Following months of consultation with trade groups, academics and leading employers in law, accountancy, management consultancies and financial services – this new toolkit provides unique insights into how best to level the playing field, whilst driving competitive advantage. […]

Blog

November 26, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #5: Progression

Progression – opportunities to advance, with the Ministry of Justice The fifth session in our employers’ masterclass series, Progression, took place on 19 November. Our previous sessions covered outreach, hiring, culture & leadership and advocacy. Progression with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is all about how you can support employees throughout their careers, by offering equal access […]

Blog

November 24, 2020 | SMC Admin

Explore our new guidance on data – launched today

Today marks the launch of new guidance, making measuring socio-economic data easier than ever for employers. Data is at the heart of every forward-thinking diversity & inclusion (D&I) strategy. In order to take the right action at the right time, you first have to understand where you are at, as a business. This guidance will […]

Blog

October 27, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #4: Advocacy

Advocacy – becoming an advocate for change, with PWC The fourth session in our employers’ masterclass series, Advocacy, took place on 15 October. Our previous sessions covered outreach, hiring and culture & leadership. Advocacy with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) is about changing perceptions and striving for change beyond your organisation.  Once you have pin-pointed the commercial, as well […]

Blog

October 7, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #3: Culture and leadership

Culture and Leadership – with Grant Thornton The third session in our employers’ masterclass series, Culture and Leadership, took place on 16 September. Inclusive teams make better business decisions 87% of the time – and twice as fast, delivering 60% better results; it makes sense for employers to nurture this talent. A diverse workforce is […]

Blog

September 18, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #4: Advocacy

Advocacy – becoming an advocate for change, with PWC Thursday 15 October 2020, 2pm Our fourth session in this masterclass series, Advocacy, with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) is about changing perceptions and striving for change beyond your organisation. Once you have pin-pointed the commercial, as well as the moral, arguments for increasing socio-economic diversity, it then becomes […]

Blog

September 15, 2020 | SMC Admin

SMC report finds that social mobility across England is a ‘postcode lottery’

A socially mobile country provides equal opportunities for everyone, irrespective of circumstances of birth. The Social Mobility Commission’s previous work identified a series of ‘hot’ and ‘cold spots’ across England, reflecting varying prospects in terms of education and employment. What this research did not tell us was the degree to which the place you grow […]

Blog

September 10, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #3: Leadership & Culture

Leadership and Culture – building a diverse workforce, with Grant Thornton Wednesday 16 September 2020, 3pm Our third session in this series, Leadership & Culture, with Grant Thornton, is all about building the foundations of a truly diverse and talented workforce. Inclusive teams make better business decisions 87% of the time – and twice as […]

Blog

August 18, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #2: Hiring

Hiring the best talent, with Accenture Tuesday 25 August 2020, 3pm The second session in our employers’ masterclass series is Hiring, which is all about reaching talent – attracting individuals from less privileged backgrounds who may not traditionally apply for roles within your organisation, yet may be able to make a significant contribution in future. […]

Blog

August 3, 2020 | SMC Admin

Young peoples’ prospects impacted by Covid and new Employer Guidance from Sutton Trust

The pandemic has already had a considerable impact on the economy, with job vacancies down, redundancies announced and more job losses likely in future. Young people entering the job market this year are likely to be particularly badly hit by the current economic crisis.   Last week, new research from the Sutton Trust found that: […]

Blog

July 31, 2020 | SMC Admin

Social mobility masterclass for employers #1: Outreach

How to reach the best talent, with Santander On 23 July, we held the first in our new social mobility masterclass series for employers – Outreach, exploring how you can reach, attract and foster a diverse pool of talent. Below you can find a recording of the webinar, including an in-depth case-study from Santander delving […]

News

July 8, 2020 | SMC Admin

SMC response to the Chancellor’s multi-billion pound “plan for jobs”

The Joint Deputy Chairs of the Social Mobility Commission, Steven Cooper and Sandra Wallace, have put out a joint statement in which they said the SMC welcomes the Chancellor’s multi-billion pound “plan for jobs” announced earlier today – in particular the targeted approach to supporting young people: “The current recession will hurt disadvantaged younger people […]

Blog

June 26, 2020 | SMC Admin

How to get the most out of apprenticeships – guide for employers

Apprenticeships are not only a useful way for individuals from less advantaged backgrounds to show their true potential, they are also a golden opportunity for you, as an employer, to nurture talent that is tailored to the needs of your business. Research shows that 43% of businesses with more a diverse workforce have higher profits […]

Events

Making the most out of apprenticeships – webinar on 25 June

This session is an opportunity for you, as an employer, to learn how to use apprenticeships to improve your socio-economic diversity and inclusion strategy. You will be able to gain unique insights from the latest data and learn how you can maximise your programme. We will look at apprenticeships’ social mobility potential, the immediate impacts […]

Blog

May 20, 2020 | SMC Admin

The impact of COVID-19 on social mobility, what employers can do – webinar and panel discussion

COVID-19 is impacting those from lower socio-economic backgrounds more than most. If organisations stop supporting them, the current gap will continue to widen. On Thursday 23 April and Thursday 7 May, we held a webinar to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on social mobility. It was encouraging to see so many employers attend, across industry. […]