Squire Patton Boggs is proud to announce that it has been recognised in the annual Social Mobility Employer Index for the first time, with a ranking of 46 underlining the firm’s commitment to social mobility in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The index was created by the Social Mobility Foundation in 2017 and ranks UK employers on the action they take to ensure they are open to and progressing talent from all backgrounds. It highlights the employers who are doing the most to change how they find, recruit and advance talented employees from different social class backgrounds. Now in its fourth year, the index is the definitive benchmark of organisations committed to improving social mobility in the workplace.
Employers are assessed across seven key areas. These include their work with young people, routes into the company, how they attract talent, recruitment and selection, data collection, progression, experienced hires and advocacy. This year saw 119 employers from 17 sectors, who collectively employ almost one million people in the UK, answer around 100 questions.
Partner Rob Elvin, who leads the firm’s Social Mobility Resource Group, commented: “We are delighted to have achieved our first ranking in the index, which is testament to the hard work and efforts of our team.
“The index is useful from a benchmarking perspective, as it provides us with a more rigorous assessment of our progress and helps us to set meaningful priorities. We look forward to improving on our ranking next year.”
Measures taken to improve social mobility include the adoption of a more focused approach to recruitment and changes to its graduate recruitment programme. The firm also took a partnership role in the Sutton Trust’s Pathways to Law programme, running work experience and project work for 200 participants; played an instrumental part in transforming the Social Mobility Business Partnership’s Commercial insights week into a successful virtual programme for Year 12 students; created a work experience programme for young people from the Drive Forward Foundation; and, working with clients, devised a bespoke commercial awareness workshop programme for the City, University of London.
For further information about the index, please visit the Social Mobility Foundation website.