City firms join Nick Clegg's social mobility campaign

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has launched his 'Opening Doors' social mobility campaign together with James Caan, businessman and TV personality, and Peter Searle, chief executive of the recruitment company Adecco. 

The Opening Doors campaign calls on companies to offer young people from all backgrounds open access to job opportunities. Over 150 UK companies have so far signed up to the campaign, which has also been supported by YouGov research indicating that young people from less privileged backgrounds are often several rungs lower in the career ladder than their more privileged peers.

Slaughter and May, Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy and CMS Cameron McKenna are among the high-profile law firms to have signed up to the campaign.

Clegg said: "We have a big problem in this country. Every year employers are closing their doors to talented young people. This is a terrible waste of talent and potential that could be otherwise boosting our economy and driving growth in our businesses. In good times this would be tragic. In tough economic times, it is unforgivable. Today I'm on a mission to ask companies, large and small, to open their doors to the incredible talent out there and sign up to our campaign."