Grant Thornton named top employer for social mobility  

Grant Thornton UK has been recognised as a top employer in the recently released Social Mobility Employer’s Index 2022.

The index, compiled by the Social Mobility Foundation, is said to be the authority on employer-led social mobility. 

It assesses organisations in seven key areas: work with young people, routes into the employer, attraction, recruitment and selection, data collection, progression of staff and experienced hires and advocacy.  

Grant Thornton ranked at number two on this year’s index, up two places from 2021, though it has “consistently” placed in the top 10 of the index since it launched in 2017.  

The firm said its “market-leading approach” is driven by data and focuses on identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression for those from low socio-economic backgrounds.  

In October, the firm was also awarded Organisation of the Year and Recruitment Programme of the Year at the SOMO Awards, which were established to recognise and celebrate organisations that “prioritise the advancement of social mobility”.   

Some of the initiatives that demonstrate its commitment to social mobility include:  

• Complex, intersectional data insights – it is said to be the first professional services firm to undertake advanced data collection and analyse firmwide progression and pay data by focusing on how characteristics (such as gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background) interact with each other.

• Work experience – through a partnership with Access Accountancy the firm recruits approximately 80 young people per year from lower socio-economic backgrounds through its paid work experience programme.
    
• Trainee pipeline – specific action plans to ensure young people from low socio-economic backgrounds make up a high proportion of its cohort, extra coaching for those eligible for free school meals and increasing the number of trainees joining through the firm’s school leaver apprenticeship programme.

• Community impact – the firm said it has focused on community impact work, targeting schools in cold spot areas and worked with over 3,500 school children to improve their business skills.

• Social mobility board – aims to support the firm’s social mobility objectives by providing a sounding board of partners from low socio-economic backgrounds representing all areas of the firm to advise on social mobility strategy and provide visible leadership. 

Karen Campbell-Williams, board sponsor for Social Mobility at Grant Thornton UK, said: “We have made consistent progress with our social mobility strategy and are incredibly proud of our achievements to date that have been recognised by the Social Mobility Foundation and the SOMO Awards. 

“As an area of hidden diversity, normalising conversations within professional services about the impact of coming from a low socio-economic background is vital. This allows us to better support our colleagues, advocate for change, to educate and raise awareness and to bring diversity of thought and approach to our client and wider relationships.”