New 12-month campaign will spotlight hidden barriers to progression and support firms to turn insight into action.
The launch
On 21 May, Progress Together launched Making the Invisible Visible, a major new campaign focused on addressing hidden class barriers affecting progression, productivity and growth across UK financial services.
The campaign was launched at Progress Together's flagship Progress Pioneers Evening Reception at the House of Lords, bringing together senior leaders, policymakers, regulators and sector voices from across financial services.
Why it matters
The launch comes amid growing evidence that socio-economic background continues to shape perceptions of leadership, competence and progression into senior roles.
Progress Together's research, representing more than 210,000 employees across the sector, shows that high-performing employees from lower socio-economic backgrounds continue to progress more slowly into senior leadership, despite no link to job performance.
The campaign aims to reframe socio-economic inclusion as a leadership, productivity and competitiveness issue, supporting firms to make better use of the talent already within their organisations.
Evidence and sector relevance
Over the next 12 months, Making the Invisible Visible will combine:
- Sector research and benchmarking
- Leadership storytelling
- Employee voices
- Policy engagement
- Practical employer action
- Cross-sector collaboration
Progress Together is inviting firms, senior leaders and employees across financial services to share stories, insights and examples of practical action that help make progression pathways more visible, fair and effective.
"Making the Invisible Visible is about helping the sector confront barriers that too often remain unseen, unspoken and unmeasured."
— Sophie Hulm, Chief Executive, Progress Together