Advancing Social Mobility at Work

Awareness is building around the business case for addressing social mobility at work. Ability and aptitude, rather than social background, ought to determine the value of a person’s work. Failure to recognise this undermines your competitive advantage by cutting off a huge pool of talent.

Simple changes, such as adapting recruitment processes, using data effectively, and addressing unconscious bias can make a crucial difference in allowing employees, and therefore your business, to prosper.

At this event you will be provided with the knowledge and tools necessary to facilitate staff from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and ultimately come away with the actionable insight required to make social mobility in your workplace a reality.

Why attend?

Learn how to foster social mobility in your organisation
Bring new, innovative ideas about supporting staff from lower socio-economic backgrounds back to your organisation, with the insight needed to put them into practice
Hear about best practice in creating a socially diverse workplace from leading figures
Earn a CPD certificate for your personal progression
Enjoy an opportunity to network with expert speakers and fellow colleagues

Agenda

08.40	Registration
09.15	Welcome from Dods D&I Kiren Kaur, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Dods D&I
09.20	Chair's Opening Remarks
09.40	Why does social mobility matter? Championing social mobility and advancing your business The business case for social mobility at work Case study: an award-winning organisation shares their social mobility journey
10.15	Comfort Break
10.30	Adapting business strategy and practice to advance social mobility Data: key to assessing your business, driving change and charting progress Senior management: securing buy-in and increasing accountability Culture change: embedding social mobility into your organisational DNA SPEAKER: Emily Hodgson, Head of Employer Relations and Business Development, The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF)
11.00	Comfort Break
11.20	Inclusive hiring: addressing barriers to entry and accommodating social diversity Countering bias and identifying potential: amending criteria to emphasise skills and increase transparency Providing Access: attracting talent through targeted schemes and partnerships Experienced hires: ensuring that social mobility initiatives and access extends beyond graduate recruitment
12.00	Comfort Break
12.10	Keynote: Intersectionality at Work: Understanding how social mobility and other diversity dimensions can intersect
12.40	Break for Lunch
13.40	Spotlight on apprenticeships: nurturing talent trained to fill your needs Examining the business benefits of apprenticeships Designing, delivering and evaluating a successful apprenticeship scheme
14.20	Comfort Break
14.30	Keynote Address: Advancing progress: ensuring opportunity for employees of all socio-economic backgrounds Ensuring meaningful career development for staff of lower socio-economic backgrounds Providing clear pathways to progression for staff early in careers Facilitating mentoring, sponsorship and networking for staff of all backgrounds SPEAKER: Liz Williams MBE, CEO, FutureDotNow, Social Mobility Commissioner
15.00	Comfort Break
15.10	Panel Discussion: Making headway: forging the path to a socially mobile and inclusive workplace Combatting the cultural barriers and biases often faced by staff from lower socio-economic backgrounds Ensuring that progress on social mobility is part of your organisational mindset
16.00	Chair's Closing Remarks
16.15	Event Close