Top businesses and firms to be ranked on social mobility

UK businesses, including law firms, are to be ranked on their openness to talent from all backgrounds in a joint initiative by the Social Mobility Foundation and Social Mobility Commission.

Research has consistently shown that people from affluent backgrounds, who attended private schools and elite universities, have disproportionate access to the most prestigious and lucrative careers – with the legal, media, accountancy and banking professions traditionally having particularly bad records on social mobility. The new Social Mobility Employers Index is designed to enable firms to show their progress in recruiting based on talent from all social backgrounds, not just those who have the networks and connections to get ahead. The index is not designed to be an exercise in ‘naming and shaming’ – companies will have the option to remain anonymous and those which do not even make the rankings will not be named. Instead, firms will answer a range of questions about their recruitment practices the career progression opportunities they provide to employees. They will then be ranked by a panel of experts and receive recommendations for areas for improvement.

David Johnston, chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, said: “Having competed to make progress in other areas of diversity such as gender, race and LGBT, businesses have been turning their minds to how to make their organisations open to top talent from lower socio-economic groups. This Index is a direct response to their requests to know how to benchmark the actions they take against what the leading firms are doing, and learn how they can ensure they recruit and promote those with the greatest potential, rather than those with the greatest connections or polish.”

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, also commented: “Many top firms are doing excellent work in opening their doors to people from all social backgrounds. We want the index to herald a step change towards improving social mobility by encouraging many more employers to compete to recruit, and keep, the best and brightest candidates.”