The social mobility opportunity

The average worker is 2.5 paychecks away from destitution.

That stark reality gives employers immense responsibility - and an immense opportunity. When employers step up on social mobility, their people can work up the social ladder. 

At the Financial Wellbeing Forum 2023, Zahoor Ahmad, Head of Social Mobility, Inclusion and Belonging at Co-op, took to the stage to discuss blockers to social mobility, and Co-op's nine-point action plan to take inspiration from.

1. Create a taskforce with a defined remit and objective
   
   
2. Align the taskforce with your FinWell strategy: wellbeing and inclusion are symbiotic
   
   
3. Set targets for voluntary declarations of socio-economic background, to enrich data and strategy
   
   
4. Develop a mentoring initiative. Not every colleague has the same social capital
   
   
5. Document, publish and be accountable for gender and minority pay gaps
   
   
6. Advocate internally for buy-in and investment of inclusion as a strategic priority
   
   
7. Redesign internal  job opportunities and drive greater intra-organisational movement
   
   
8. Advocate at sector level: start conversations with sector peers about what your sector can do to tackle exclusion
   
   
9. Advocate at policy level: employers could play a key role in improving the Equality Act