Grant Thornton tops Government’s new social mobility index

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The Government has published its first ever list of the top 50 employers to have promoted social mobility at work. Accounting firm Grant Thornton tops the list, followed by consulting firm KPMG and construction company Skanska. The index is a joint initiative between the Social Mobility Foundation and the Social Mobility Commission, supported by the City of London Corporation. Employers are ranked according to the actions they are taking to attract and progress talent from all backgrounds. The Government analysed data from nearly 100 employers across 17 sectors, who submitted entries about their practices and procedures in areas such as working with young people, recruitment, selection and progression. A panel of experts came up with the final rankings and every employer involved received a report with recommendations on how they can improve. In compiling the index, researchers found that just under one-fifth (17%) of the employers who submitted entries had set social mobility targets as part of their overall business strategy. Four in 10 asked applicants about the type of school they attended, a quarter asked whether candidates received free school meals, and 39% asked if employees were the first in the family to go to university. Almost three-quarters offered apprenticeships, but most of these programmes are at the lower end of the qualifications scale (