The Missing Piece in Workplace Equity
Social mobility is often described as the "final domino to fall" in the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) space. While progress has been made in areas such as gender, race, and disability inclusion, socioeconomic background remains one of the least discussed yet most significant barriers to workplace equity.
Encouragingly, more employers are recognising the importance of levelling the playing field for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that talent, not privilege, dictates success.
Now is the time to raise the profile of the often-overlooked ‘S’ in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and take meaningful action. Integrating social mobility into a company’s broader DEI strategy and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) commitments is a powerful way to make real, lasting change – both within organisations and across society.
What Does Integrating Social Mobility into DEI Look Like?
Every organisation is at a different stage of its social mobility journey. Some may be just beginning, while others are optimising and refining their initiatives. Regardless of where a company stands, embedding social mobility into DEI requires strategic, measurable, and sustained efforts. Here are some key actions to get started – or to maximise the impact of your existing work:
Identify Focus Areas and Monitor Impact
When addressing social mobility, there’s often a temptation to launch multiple initiatives at once. However, success comes from strategic focus. Companies should:
- Define clear objectives – Are you improving hiring processes? Supporting career progression? Increasing retention?
- Set measurable targets – What does success look like? Are you tracking socioeconomic data?
- Use data to drive decisions – Understand where underrepresented talent is being lost in your pipeline and take action.
By identifying specific focus areas and measuring impact, organisations can ensure their initiatives are meaningful, effective, and sustainable.
Gain Senior Leadership Buy-In
For social mobility efforts to succeed, senior leadership must be on board. Leaders shape company culture, influence policies, and allocate resources. Their active involvement can elevate social mobility from a ‘nice to have’ to a core strategic priority. How you can build leadership buy in:
- Identify senior leaders who are passionate about social mobility or have personal success stories.
- Present business cases, showing how social mobility drives innovation, retention, and brand reputation.
- Secure budget and resources for initiatives, ensuring long-term commitment.
When senior leaders champion social mobility, it sends a strong message to employees, stakeholders, and potential recruits that opportunity should be based on talent, not background.
"Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need." (Rick Riordan)
Silence Hinders Progress – Start the Conversation
One of the biggest barriers to social mobility is the discomfort around discussing class and privilege. Many employers are uncertain how to navigate conversations about socioeconomic background – and as a result, they avoid the topic altogether. But silence only perpetuates the issue. To break the silence:
- Integrate social mobility discussions into workplace conversations, town halls, and employee networks.
- Provide training on inclusive discussions and unconscious bias relating to class and privilege.
- Encourage employees to share stories about overcoming socioeconomic barriers – creating relatability and awareness.
The more companies normalise conversations around social mobility, the more inclusive and welcoming their workplaces will become.
Collaborate with Your Early Careers Team
Social mobility is deeply connected to access to opportunities – particularly for young people entering the workforce. One of the most effective ways to embed social mobility into DEI is by partnering with Early Careers and Recruitment teams to open doors for diverse talent. Key actions could include:
- Reviewing recruitment processes to remove unconscious bias and make hiring more accessible.
- Expanding outreach efforts to non-traditional talent pools, such as schools in disadvantaged areas.
- Offering paid internships and work experience to young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Providing pre-recruitment support such as mentoring, CV workshops, and interview coaching.
By proactively engaging with individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, companies increase access, widen their talent pool, and build a workforce reflective of society.
“You can’t be what you can’t see.” (Marian Wright Edelman)
Final Thought: Now is the Time
The conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion is evolving – and social mobility must be a core part of that evolution. Businesses have an opportunity not just to observe change, but to lead it.
For organisations looking to drive meaningful impact, embedding social mobility into DEI, ESG, and CSR strategies is no longer optional, it’s essential. Start today. Start the conversation. Open the doors to opportunity. Because when businesses commit to levelling the playing field, they don’t just change lives – they build a better, more equitable future for all.
