During this episode of the Inclusive Growth Show Sophie discusses her own background and experience, and details the research that led to the creation of Progress Together.
“How do we ensure that the UK’s financial and professional services sector has the skills it needs to be globally competitive.”
“Lots of employers focus on access and outreach, they’re working with schools, getting a diverse group of individuals into the bottom rungs of the organisation, but what we’re finding is that talent doesn’t stay.”
Apart from the more obvious ethical and social impact of losing motivation and loyalty from staff because of their background, there are profitability implications too.
“We did a piece of work with The Bridge Group two years ago and we found that there was a 25% progression gap. This means those from lower socio-economic backgrounds progressed 25% slower than their peers, and there was zero link to performance. This is having a damaging effect on our employers and the individuals themselves.”
You can listen to the full podcast below
Many thanks to Toby for the invitation to share the work of Progress Together with his listeners.
Toby’s organisation has supported some of the UK’s largest companies – including BBC, Deloitte, Sony and HarperCollins – to deliver sustainable, diverse and inclusive workplaces that make a strong impact on business performance.
You can find out more about Toby and his work at Mildon.co.uk
