Our Mission
Get involved with our causes such as protecting the planet and championing health and wellbeing.
Did you know?
- Social mobility in the UK is low and has stagnated.
- Extreme regional disparities exist across the UK, with many former industrial and mining areas still facing disadvantage and a ‘postcode lottery’. Opportunities are unevenly distributed geographically, with many "left behind" communities.
- Working-class individuals in professional roles earn approximately 12% to 17% less, effectively working one in eight days for free .
- Only 7% of children in the UK are privately educated, but around 50% of those in top jobs went to a private school.
Source - Social Mobility Foundation
Data matters
Data matters. We think employers should be asking their employees to share information about their SEB, to inform a fully intersectional approach to diversity and inclusion in their organisation. It identifies whether recruitment reflects society as a whole, and also if all employees have the same opportunities to progress.
At the Co-op we ask people to share their SEB with us on a confidential basis when they apply or join. We also ask existing colleagues to share it. Not only does it help us to understand what we need to prioritise and what’s having an impact, but it allows us to include socioeconomic data in our pay gap reports.
Our Toolkits
The Employer Toolkit provides practical guidance for employers to measure, understand and improve social mobility in their workforce. This toolkit shares lessons from Co-op’s journey over the past three years. It focuses on the most practical and relevant topics for organisations who are starting to prioritise social mobility. We’re not claiming to have all the answers, but we hope these insights will help make the path smoother for others and ensure more colleagues benefit from initiatives that promote social mobility.
The Employability toolkits (links below) are designed to help anyone, including people facing barriers to work such as young people, returners, refugees and those with convictions, to build job-ready skills and confidence. While we hope this helps us welcome great people into Co-op, it’s not just about us. The resources are free to use and open to anyone - whether they’re applying for a role with us or not.
More of what we do
Socioeconomic background and social mobility
Social mobility is the link between a person’s occupation or income and the occupation or income of their parents. Where there is a strong link, there is a lower level of social mobility. Where there is a weak link, there is a higher level of social mobility. Socioeconomic background [SEB] is a measure that looks at how much people earn, what they do and their social background. Research consistently shows that SEB can play a big part in determining people’s chances of future success in life and at work.
At our 2021 AGM, Co-op members called on us to ‘Campaign and advocate for change, to tackle the inequality we see today and challenge Government to address the root causes of these issues and enable social mobility throughout our society’.
We believe that where you start in life may help to shape your opportunities but should not determine where you end up. Putting this right is everyone’s responsibility. Whilst the Government has a leading part to play, we must all - employers, schools, communities and individuals - step up to the challenge. We want to break the link between who you are and what you can become.