UK Social Mobility Awards announces 2017 Shortlist
10th July 2017: Shortlist of companies and organisations announced today for the UK Social Mobility Awards.
The inaugural UK Social Mobility Awards have received an incredible response, and it was announced today that companies and organisations across the country are shortlisted for an award. The Awards celebrates and recognises the forward-thinking organisations who are developing initiatives to promote social mobility, either within their own workforces, or by influencing the debate from beyond their own walls. By raising awareness and celebrating the people and organisations that are committed to bringing about change, together we can year on year, advance the practical implementation of social mobility in this country.
The awards, which are sponsored by PwC and the RAF, received an impressive array of entries. The shortlist represents a range of sectors and industries who have demonstrated excellence in their social mobility initiatives. Our judging panel will determine the winners, who will be announced at an awards gala on 12th October 2017.
Chair of the Judging Panel, Ken Olisa OBE, said ‘Pick up any newspaper or check out any social media thread and you will read arguments about increasing inequality in our country. And worse, much of the blame is laid at the feet of business. Yet this depressing backdrop is far from the whole picture – happily there are many pioneering organisations doing something to reverse the apparent tide. These awards will identify and recognise those leaders with the hope that this will become the start of a movement for change.”
Tunde Banjoko OBE, Founder of Making The Leap who have organised the awards, said: ‘
“We are delighted to have shortlisted our first finalists for the UK Social Mobility Awards. We have received entries from many fantastic companies and organisations. The UK Social Mobility Awards were created to encourage UK businesses and organisations to tackle the very important issue of social mobility. We hope that companies and organisations across the country are thinking about the social mobility programmes that they are currently running, so that they enter UK Social Mobility Awards 2018 and stand a chance of getting on next year’s shortlists.”
The shortlist for the 2017 UK Social Mobility Awards is as follows:
UK Social Mobility Awards Shortlist
Organisation of the Year
Civil Service Fast Stream and Early Talent
Ministry of Justice
Rolls Royce
Wates Group
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
CBRE
Leadership of the Year
Transport for London
Civil Service – The Cross-Government Social Mobility Network
Team London (Mayor of London) in partnership with The Challenge
KPMG
Movement-to-Work
Landsec
Innovation Award
Nissan
Law Society of Scotland
Civil Service Fast Stream – Opportunity Network
O2
Legal Social Mobility Partnership
Simmons & Simmons
Recruitment Programme of the Year Award
Barclays
Pinsent Masons
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Bank of England
Clifford Chance
EY
Progression Programme of the Year Award
Browne Jacobson
Teach First
Metro Bank
Mindshare UK
JP Morgan
NEX Group plc
Community Programme of the Year Award
Allen & Overy
Diageo and the Springboard Charity
HM Revenue & Customs
Rothschild & Co
DP World London Gateway
Herbert Smith Freehills
Impact Management Programme of the Year Award
Rare Recruitment
UpRising
City College Plymouth
Transport for London
Champion of the Year Award
Phil Davies – Principal – City College Plymouth
Stephen Day – Community Banking Director – Barclays
Claire Misata – Global Client Relationship Manager – BNP Paribas
Chris Rix – Partner – Deloitte
Melanie Richards – Vice Chair – KPMG
Claire-Marie Smith – Director Private Banking – Coutts
Outstanding Achievement of the Year Award
Barry Matthews – Director of Legal Affairs – ITV
Richard Gould – Chief Executive – Villiers Park Educational Trust
Julie Mclean – Director WBLSP – City College Plymouth
Sonia Blandford – Professor of Education & Social Enterprise – UCL Institute of Education
Debbie Akehurst – Head of Economy and Communities – Landsec
Sarah Hyde – Counsel – CMS
Rising Star Award
Ricky Shearsby – London Youth Hub Manager – Tomorrow’s People
Chloe Causer – Community Connexions Support Assistant – Plymouth City Council
Sarah Magnier-Ashton – HR Manager – Vaultex UK
Nicola Hanns – Opportunity Network – Civil Service Fast Stream
Christopher Achiampong – Apprentice – IBM
Claudine Adeyemi – Lawyer – Mishcon de Reya
Mentor of the Year Award
Lorcan Lennon – Director of Client Council – KPMG
Hayley Moulding – Neuro Scientist – Cardiff University
Amy Connolly – Global Client Relationship Manager – BNP Paribas
Leila Thomas – Technical Project Manager – Thomson Reuters
James Wickes – Partner – RPC
ENDS
Contact BETHANY PROUD on 020 8962 1900 or bethany.proud@mtl.org.uk
For further information about Making The Leap contact info@mtl.org.
Notes to editors
- The UK Social Mobility Awards is organised by leading Social Mobility charity Making The Leap, who have supported over 50,000 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds over 23 years.
- The mission of the UK Social Mobility Awards is to promote the issue of social mobility, and best practice, and celebrate the businesses and organisations who are demonstrating excellence in this arena.
- This awards programme is for UK-based private sector, public sector and third sector organisations that have at least 100 employees.
For information call Making The Leap on 020 8962 1900 or visit the-uksma.org
Follow the UK Social Mobility Awards on social media for all the latest news and updates.
