The full list of companies named on the Honours Roll alongside Goal 17 can be viewed at the UK Social Mobility Awards Website.

Fran Boorman, Goal 17’s CEO and Founder explains the outlook for social mobility: “A report released by the Government’s Social Mobility Commission showed that Social Mobility in the UK has been stagnant since 2014. With a global market place and consumers having more choice than ever before, it is important that companies attract a diverse workforce. Coupled with the current UK’s skills gap reaching 870,000 people, companies are going to need to find new ways of attracting and retaining the best talent. Developing a social mobility agenda is essential for this”.

Fran explains how the key to unlocking the real benefits of social mobility is through shifting the mindsets and perspectives of current workers, as much as it is about recruitment initiatives. “The importance of understanding our unconscious bias and seeing our workforce with fresh eyes is essential”, Fran adds. “With a fresh perspective and a robust mentoring culture that helps colleagues raise each other up it is possible to begin to achieve real progress in social mobility.”

“One of the ways we cement our trainees’ learning, ensuring they become effective mentors in the workplace, is by pairing them with a homeless young person who they mentor in a unique and immersive experience. Not only does this accelerate their learning and see deep levels of personal commitment, but it also shifts their perspective. We find our Mentor Graduates return to their workplace with a new appreciation of those around them. They are able to spot and nurture talent opportunities in a way they wouldn’t have done otherwise.”