Jess Phillips MP joins industry leaders in tackling UK’s social mobility challenges in recruitment

Social mobility and its impact on the modern workforce was top of the agenda at a virtual event hosted by law firm Anthony Collins Solicitors on Tuesday 23 November.

The event, ‘Social mobility – an introduction to best practice for employers’, saw a host of industry leaders advise on what employers should be doing to help advance social mobility through recruitment.

The event also coincided with the launch of Anthony Collins Solicitors’ free social mobility toolkit, sponsored by Central England Co-operative and Boston Borough Council, which outlines a central framework and practical resources for employers to begin addressing social mobility issues in order to promote equality of opportunity and open up their workforces.

Alice Kinder, employment and pensions associate at Anthony Collins Solicitors, said:
“A person’s background should never determine what they go on to achieve in life, but the reality is that it often does. Today’s event is all about promoting opportunity and sharing insights and best practice for business leaders who want to do better by implementing more a socially diverse approach to their employment strategy.

Having access to assets, such as a social mobility toolkit, can prove crucial in ensuring that people of all backgrounds are given a level playing field when it comes to seeking employment opportunities.”

The event opened with a speech from keynote speaker, Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, outlining why social mobility is an issue that should matter to business owners and recruiters looking to develop a diverse workforce.

The event also welcomed Stephanie Burras, CEO of The Ahead Partnership, who revealed the ways in which leaders can deliver positive change within their companies, and Darren Burns, national recruitment manager of Timpsons, who shared how the British retailer adapted its recruitment to address social mobility and has gone on to become the largest employer of ex-offenders in the UK.

David Alcock, partner at Anthony Collins Solicitors, said:
“Advancing social mobility means acknowledging that people come from very different starting points and may not have access to the same opportunities.

“As a social purpose law firm, Anthony Collins Solicitors actively encourages employers to take affirmative action when it comes to helping people from the widest range of backgrounds to access the labour market.”

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