At a recent Chartered Management Institute (CMI) webinar chaired by Katie Kelly, Associate Partner and Connect Director, leaders from across industries explored how organisations can meaningfully advance social mobility. The panel also featured:
- Shelley O’Gilvie, Head of Professionals at The 93% Club, one of our proud charity partners
- Joe Wood, Co Founder of WiseUp Networks, an award winning social enterprise connecting young people with employers
- Kirsten Lockwood, Head of Professional Development at LABC, leading career pathways in an organisation that needs to remain resilient
Together, the speakers unpacked the systemic challenges and shared practical steps to help organisations create workplaces where opportunity is truly accessible to all.
Social mobility starts with fair access — and we’re not there yet
Despite progress, socioeconomic background remains a major barrier. From accent and schooling to exposure and networks, structural factors still shape career outcomes.
Success in 2026 means:
- Where you start doesn’t determine where you end up
- Young people can access meaningful employer engagement
- Belonging, not just inclusion, becomes a strategic priority
Katie emphasised that organisations have a duty to create environments where talent and potential outweigh background and circumstance.
Access isn’t enough, progression must be prioritised
- Shelley O’Gilvie spotlighted a crucial gap: the last decade has focused on getting people in, but the next must focus on getting people on. This means mentorship and sponsorship, mentors advise, but sponsors advocate when you’re not in the room
- Removing the “unwritten rules” barrier: 95% of state educated professionals believe there are unspoken rules to career progression, often obvious only to those from privileged backgrounds
- Social capital matters: 92% of state educated professionals say they lack an alumni network. Building community and connection is a strategic intervention, not a “nice to have”
Our partnership with The 93% Club reinforces commitment to expanding access to networks and career opportunity across industries.
Cultural and social capital are as important as skills
Joe Wood emphasised the importance of cultural capital, understanding professional norms, language and expectations that some young people simply haven’t been exposed to.
WiseUp Networks supports this through structured mentoring before, during and after work experience placements, helping students understand:
- How to present in a professional environment
- How to communicate with confidence
- How to navigate unfamiliar organisational cultures
- This early exposure can be transformative
Education and business are still too far apart
Joe also highlighted a major system gap: schools and colleges cannot solve social mobility alone. They often lack resources, networks and capacity.
- Businesses must form long term, structured partnerships with local schools and colleges
- Employer engagement shouldn’t rely on chance or personal networks
- Work experience and mentoring should be intentional, not incidental
- The business community has the tools, and responsibility to close this gap
Talent pipelines are not broken, they are hidden
Kirsten Lockwood demonstrated that visibility, not scarcity, is often the issue. When LABC broadened outreach, refreshed assessment, and highlighted the profession’s impact, applications soared from a handful to more than 2,000. The talent was always there, it just wasn’t seeing itself reflected or invited.
Collaboration is the only way to drive system level change
A unifying theme across all speakers was the need for collaboration. Education providers alone cannot fix the system. Nor can employers, charities or government on their own. Real progress requires:
- Employers collaborating with charities like The 93% Club and WiseUp Networks
- Cross industry sharing of data, insights and pathways
- A shared commitment to keeping doors open, and helping people walk through them
Everyone has a role in “pulling back the curtain”
Whether through mentoring, sponsoring, creating clear pathways, or simply demystifying the unwritten rules, every leader has a role to play in accelerating social mobility. In a world where the future of work is rapidly evolving, organisations need more than short term fixes. They need people systems, leadership behaviours, and change infrastructures that can flex, scale and endure.
If you missed this session, watch the webinar recording below to learn the full insights:
If you’re interested in exploring how our transformation community can support your organisation to become truly future resilient, reach out, we would love to continue the conversation.
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