LEVELLING UP Levelling Up Impact Report A Purpose Coalition report
Chair, Purpose Coalition and Founder, Levelling Up Goals; Former Secretary of State for Education, International Development and Transport 0.1 Rt Hon Justine Greening
Gateley has been one of the businesses that have led the way and, as part of the Purpose Coalition, is now playing a key role in developing the levelling up agenda. The legal sector can make a hugely significant contribution to this, with a sphere of influence which can be leveraged as a real force for good. It extends through its clients to all industries and sectors.
Gateley is seeking to open up opportunities to a more diverse pool of talent which better reflects the world in which it operates, and which has shown to be a more profitable model.
Through its Responsible Business Report Gateley has demonstrated its wide-ranging work that meets a number of the Levelling Up Goals. Now is the time to go even further with its social impact.
In the context of the Government’s White Paper on Levelling Up and the missions it has set to make opportunity accessible for everyone, Gateley can play a leading role in ensuring that the positive change the country needs is achieved.
Gateley’s track record as a trailblazer and innovator in business is reflected in its work to improve social mobility. Willing to take risks and challenge the status quo, it recognises that that approach should also extend to delivering a positive social impact. That has not always been easy in the legal sector where opportunity was traditionally confined to the City of London and largely to those from more privileged backgrounds and from Russell Group universities.
But perhaps it is its influence as a people business that is most important, with a responsibility to colleagues and future employees to hire talent from all backgrounds and to ensure that anyone with potential can develop and progress within the firm.
The pandemic accelerated trends around responsible business and heightened society’s expectations for goods, services and employers that put social impact and purpose first. The best companies responded with ambition in a way which supported their employees, customers and communities but also made good business sense.
The current cost of living crisis demands a similar response, with the best purpose-led organisations providing creative solutions to help those who need the most support. It is clear that both situations have caused the most vulnerable to be hardest hit.
002Forewords
Levelling up is about challenging the inequality of opportunity that still exists for too many people across the country. It means that everyone, no matter what their background or where they are from, has the chance to improve their lives.
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Forewords 00
Gateley’s track record as a trailblazer and innovator in business is reflected in its work to improve social mobility. Willing to take risks and challenge the status quo, it recognises that that approach should also extend to delivering a positive social impact. “
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Gateley has a track record as a trailblazer and innovator, exemplified by its move in 2015 to list as a public company on the London Stock Exchangemaking Gateley the very first UK law firm to depart from the traditional model of a partnership for a ublic listing. Gateley’s strong sense of purpose saw this moment used as an opportunity to include the majority of employees in equity sharing, a marked departure from the traditional model of law firm partnerships.
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Gateley is a legal and professional services group whose origins can be traced back to the 19th Century, when Stephen Gateley & Sons established a law firm in Birmingham. Rooted in its founding family values, four generations of the Gateley family then grew the firm to one that services the commercial needs of businesses across the UK and internationally, employing around 1200 people across offices in 11 UK cities and one in Dubai.
Gateley believes that as a business it has a wider responsibility to be a force for good. This includes having a positive impact on its local communities, people, clients; and reducing the negative impact on the environment - whilst also delivering profit.
While Gateley has increased turnover and profit consistently year-on-year, it has also sought to consistently increase its positive impact across Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) strands. For Gateley, delivering results is not just about delivering financial results for shareholders.
Introduction1.1Gateleyandlevellingup
Gateley recognises that delivering in these important areas, will also make it an employer of choice to attract the best talent, make the company an attractive investment opportunity, and become an organisation that clients are proud to do business with.
Being a business that does good, is good business.
This assessment will consider the areas in which Gateley is strong and stands out already, alongside identifying where there is more work to do for maximum impact. Gateley also recognises that it has some work to do in achieving these goals consistently across the Group in a way which is measured and actionable, but looks forward to sharing its progress over the coming years.
As the first UK commercial law firm to list on the London Stock Exchange, Gateley is a forward thinking business. It recognised – back in 2015 – that challenging the status quo and the long-established structures of legal partnerships, could deliver better results for clients. It was also an opportunity to level up the equity model within its own business. Traditionally equity partnerships focus ownership in the hands of a few. The float gave Gateley an opportunity to change this by awarding shares to every member of staff within the newly listed business, so everyone was invested in the journey. This forward thinking ethos is now driving Gateley’s responsible business strategy and the work towards the role that it hopes to play in delivering a positive impact on the communities around us.
Justine Greening and established with input from businesses, universities, civil society and MPs, the Purpose Coalition developed 14 Levelling Up Goals. These goals use the same framework as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and set out clear objectives for the UK’s levelling up challenge in the wake of COVID-19.
5 Introduction 01
As part of its clear commitment to ESG and being a force for good as a business, Gateley has aligned its strategy to the 14 Levelling Up Goals. For each of these goals, Gateley is making tangible progress.
To help the firm achieve this, Gateley has partnered with the Purpose Coalition to identify where it can go even further to support its communities and Ledcolleagues.byRtHon
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Introduction1.2.The Journey to the Levelling Up Goals
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These Goals build on the foundations laid by the UN’s SDGs by outlining 14 clear goals and draw on expertise provided by academia and business which has been applied to the unique challenges facing the UK in levelling up. They focus on key life stages and highlight the main issues that need to be resolved to create a level playing field for all in this country. The Levelling Up Goals are intended to guide how the urgent ambition to level up the UK can actually be achieved. The impact of the work carried out to do this can, and should, be measurable.
Sub-goals with quantifiable targets and measurements against which progress can be charted within the 14 goals are being developed by the Purpose Coalition in partnership with Purpose Coalition universities and organisations including Gateley, which is one of the purpose-led companies leading on the Levelling Up Goals. The Goals are designed to look at the outcomes of CSR strategies and measures that organisations operate. Many organisations are doing outstanding work and making important contributions to society but are still measuring this via inputs – a measure that focuses on pounds, shillings and pence rather than real impact to human lives.
The Purpose Coalition has encouraged businesses, universities and others to share their own best practice with other organisations so they are not only demonstrating their own commitment but creating a shift towards purpose-led organisations. The Goals can encourage an extension of this cooperative exchange of information which can be used to help level up Britain.
The Purpose Coalition, a group of policymakers, businesses, universities and schoolSuccessfulyearsinfoundationsStrongEarlyYears well-being equality, through diversity inclusiontransitiontheHarnessenergy13 other organisations, aims to improve social mobility in the UK and has responded to this challenge with the launch of its own Levelling Up Goals in February 2021.
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1 PostdestinationsPositive16+3 Right advice and experiences4 Fair progressioncareer6recruitmentOpen5 Good health and
In 2015, as Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening led the UK delegation to the United Nations (UN). Along with 184 international partners, she helped to establish the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2017, the SDGs were made more ‘actionable’ by a UN resolution adopted by the General Assembly which identified specific targets for each goal, along with indicators used to measure progress towards each target. These 17 interlinked, global goals were designed to be ‘a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all’. They marked a shift from the previously established Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000. In contrast to the MDGs, the SDGs were nationally owned, countryled and targeted wealthy, developed nations as well as developing countries. The SDGs emphasised the interdependent environment, social and economic aspects of development by centralising the role of sustainability.
8 savingsaccessWideningto& credit 7 Closing the digital divide10enterpriseExtending9 Building homes & communitiessustainable12forInfrastructureopportunity11 Achieve
As Secretary of State, Justine recognised how useful a common set of accessible but ambitious objectives could be in galvanising action to effect change. Since then the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated many of the problems relating to social inequality in the UK. The recovery is a chance for the United Kingdom to address these issues and level up but that requires updated and specific goals in order to outline, inspire and measure progress.
7 Introduction 01
Making an impact against successful means that an organisation is reducing inequality of opportunity but also raising aspirations and growing talent for the future.
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to social impact, sustainability and
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008 ForewordsHighlights and analysis of Gateley’s impact against the Levelling Up Goals 02
A close partnership with Birmingham Metropolitan College, home to the UK’s only Business Professional Services Academy: the Greater Birmingham Professional Services Academy (GBPSA). Gateley has been involved with GBPSA for many years, delivering workshops within the college curriculum which support students with their learning. schoolSuccessfulyears
long-standing and measurable commitment to different areas across Environmental and
Governance (ESG). In its
Gateley has a strong commitment demonstrates a Social Responsible measurable
impact across several key Levelling Up Goals. This section outlines Gateley’s highlights against the Levelling Up Goals which the organisation has chosen to focus on. These are: > Goal 2: Successful School Years > Goal 3: Positive Destinations Post 16+ > Goal 5: Open Recruitment > Goal 7: Widening access to savings and credit > Goal 8: Good Health and Wellbeing > Goal 11: Infrastructure for opportunity > Goal 12: Building homes and sustainable communities > Goal 13: Harness the energy transition > Goal 14: Achieving Equality through Diversity and ImportantlyInclusionitalso identifies areas where Gateley can, and should, go further and highlights best practice from other members of the Purpose Coalition.
school years
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report Raising awareness of jobs within the legal sector to those who wouldn’t have otherwise considered it.
Business Report 2021, the company demonstrated
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Examples of best practice
It also recognises its role as a significant employer and an anchor institution within its communities. By supporting parents among its staff, Gateley is having a positive impact on children and their early years.
> Gateley also makes an impact against Goal 2 through its role as an employer and its support to working parents.
bp have identified certain social mobility coldspots where they know their outreach will have the most impact and are directing their efforts there and to less privileged children and students.
> The ‘working parents programme’ at Gateley includes the delivery of line manager training on how to support parents by being aware of the challenges that they are facing, as well as supporting parents through parental leave coaching and sleep clinics.
Gateley also has relationships with several clients, schools and community organisations where staff volunteer or act as a mentor to provide guidance to aspiring lawyers, students and people in potentially vulnerable situations who need some support and guidance.
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Highlights and analysis 02
> A number of Gateley employees who volunteer in various roles within schools, including as trustees and school governors.
Analysis Gateley has shown a strong commitment to supporting students with their learning as they move through the education system, particularly its relationship with the Greater Birmingham Professional Services Academy. Outreach into local communities raises awareness of the opportunities within the legal sector, often to those from underrepresented groups who might not have had access to it before.
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Gateley has provided apprenticeship schemes across the organisation in its Legal, Finance, IT, HR and Marketing teams.
Analysis
Gateley has a strong impact on boosting positive destinations post 16+ through widening access to law in its Legal Apprenticeships Programme, as well as by building outcomes-focused partnerships with diverse cohorts of universities. It is through these practical and outcome-focused methods that Gateley has demonstrated effective engagements and partnership delivery with universities. Throughout this work there is a focus on spreading opportunities to those from under-represented groups, who might not traditionally have gone into the legal sector. It is important that Gateley continues to have regular interaction with a diverse range of students to ensure that they are giving the right support for those looking at a career in the legal sector.
0210 Highlights and analysis
> As part of its partnerships with higher education
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> As part of its work with universities, Gateley has a two-week internship programme (Vacation Scheme) which helps students gain a better understanding of the skills and demands of working in a law firm.
In addition, Gateley regularly holds discussion groups with students at different universities to share experiences of what it is like to work in the legal and professional services sector.
> There is also a direct progression pathway from the Vacation Scheme to Training Contracts, meaning its newly qualified solicitors are recruited largely as a result of its Vacation Scheme or through the Legal Apprenticeship route.
> There is also a two-year Paralegal Apprenticeship programme of blended learning and hands-on legal work for ambitious people seeking a career in the law.
Examples of best practice
There are good examples of businesses, such as UK Power Networks and Direct Line Group, doing this really effectively and increasing the diversity of its workforce.
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report
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Alongside targeting school outreach more specifically (as mentioned within Goal 2), many organisations are targeting their recruitment in social mobility cold spots. In some ways this has become easier due to hybrid and flexible working.
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PostdestinationsPositive16+
Gateley shows strong leadership on positive destinations post 16 + through its apprenticeship and internship schemes, as well as its close links with universities. These different routes into the legal sector will ensure that the workforce of tomorrow is more diverse.
Gateley has also sponsored prizes at a number of universities.
Gateley also has strong links with universities as it seeks to open up opportunities for a wide range of students. It partnered with Birmingham Law Society, University of Law and the University of Wolverhampton when it introduced its Diversity Inclusion Scheme 2020. The scheme is aimed specifically at helping talented young people from under-represented groups learn more about and pursue careers in law.
Analysis Access to savings and credit can often be overlooked when it comes to the levelling up agenda. The complicated nature of savings and credit can often put people off, along with other barriers. The important part of Gateley’s shares offer to staff is the organisation’s ongoing support and advice around tax considerations etc.
recruitmentOpen5
> It also uses an online assessment tool, HiPo, which is specifically designed to ensure inclusion, using measures and tools that are proven to be more accurate predictors of success in graduate positions than academic achievements at GCSE and A-Level.
Open recruitment is about ensuring that careers and professions are accessible to people of all backgrounds through transparent, accessible and open recruitment practices.
11 Highlights and analysis 02
> When Gateley listed in 2015, it offered all employees shares in the listed entity. This involved equity partners giving a portion of their shares to support colleagues which is unusual within the legal sector.
Analysis
Examples of best practice
Ensuring that a job advert is 1) on accessible platforms and 2) has the correct language is a crucial first step in the recruitment process.
savingsaccessWideningto& credit 7 Gateley has put in place numerous processes to remove barriers to employment. “
Gateley has put in place numerous processes to remove barriers to employment. Especially welcome is the organisation’s decision to remove minimum grade requirements at A-levels to apply for certain positions. This recognises that potential is not necessarily linked to grades and spreads opportunity to a wider range of people.
> This incentivisation has continued since the float and all employees can participate in the Gateley Sharesave Scheme, with over 50% having already done so.
Examples of best practice Utilities provider Pennon Group is one of a number of organisations that use gender decoding tools to remove any subtle bias from job advertisements.
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report include:
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Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report include:
The Co-op group covers the cost of travel to interviews with the organisation. Those from lower socio-economic backgrounds often find the cost associated with an interview a barrier to applying for a role.
Access to savings and credit often acts as a barrier to people getting on in life.
> No employee had tax considerations to be concerned about during the process, as this was taken care of by the partnership. This removed a significant obstacle for staff and encouraged them to take part.
Many organisations are thinking about how they can provide extra support for staff during the current cost of living crisis.
> For the Gateley Legal trainee programme, the organisation uses the assessment skills of Amberjack to introduce a virtual assessment centre, designed specifically to improve diversity and minimise unconscious bias in the selection process.
Gateley has also removed minimum grade requirements at A-Level to be able to apply for positions.
> Gateley runs an internal network group - Thrive - that specifically focuses on wellbeing. Thrive runs a series of events and training programmes throughout the year to raise awareness and to give people the tools and skills they need to take care of themselves and those around them.
The Thrive programme, introduced pre-pandemic, is an example of leading practice identified by This Is Purpose and the Levelling Up Goals throughout the companies that are part of the Purpose Coalition.
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> The Langley Sustainable Urban Extension on the outskirts of Birmingham will take 20 years to build out and is a scheme of national profile in which the Government is investing £100 million through Homes England. Good health and well-being8
Analysis Throughout the pandemic, Good Health and Wellbeing has become an even more crucial pillar of best practice in the workplace. This has been a focus of Gateley’s, reflected by the introduction of its Thrive programme which sought to create an employee network supporting and aiding both mental and physical health. As we recover from the pandemic and hybrid working becomes the new normal for organisations such as Gateley, it is crucial that health and wellbeing remains at the top of the agenda. Initiatives like ‘Banish the Infrastructure is an important aspect of the levelling up agenda - infrastructure allows people to access opportunity.
> Through its professional advice, Gateley is able to support its clients in delivering place strategies which are making a positive impact.
02 Highlights and analysis
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report include:
> As part of its response to the pandemic, Gateley recognised that the Thrive programme had to play a key role in ensuring its people were properly supported, and could also be vocal about their needs throughout such a challenging time.
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report include:
> Gateley has been advising a consortium including Homes England, Taylor Wimpey Plc and Vistry Plc on the promotion and delivery structures for one of the largest urban extensions in the UK which will deliver 6,000 new homes, four new schools and three new local centres.
> Whether it is infrastructure projects or building new homes, Gateley is well-placed to influence the agenda. The organisation works for 18 of the UK’s largest housebuilders and are involved in many significant infrastructure projects.
Burnout’ will be important to ensure that staff are continuing to stay healthy and maintain boundaries between their work and personal boundaries.
Gateley is a signature of the Mindful Business Charter. It is aimed at reducing avoidable workplace stress and provides a set of best practice behaviours and guidelines for how organisations should work both internally and externally with clients and other advisers.
Good health and well being are often a precursor to a person being able to make the most of their talents and potential.
Gateley also launched the ‘Banish the Burnout’ programme during the pandemic to specifically support staff with managing boundaries and their physical and mental health.
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> It is proactively advising clients on prestigious sustainable developments both regionally and nationally and is at the forefront of the emergence of government-backed modular homes in place of traditional house building.
The move to remote or hybrid working has allowed many organisations to move some of their operations online. As part of Gateley’s Agile strategy, it is encouraging the continuation of online meetings where possible. With 11 offices across the UK, travel can be a significant environmental factor for an organisation like Gateley. Moving regular meetings, such as Leadership Lunches, online both helps to reduce carbon emissions and makes them more accessible.
> The organisation has an Energy Manager to review environmental initiatives as appropriate and an energysaving action plan to identify areas of the business where energy can be saved.
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> Gateley works for some of the UK’s largest housebuilders, helping to deliver thousands of new homes and communities up and down the country.
> Both clients and staff have welcomed the use of technology for virtual meetings rather than in-person get togethers and it is encouraging this to continue as part of the Gateley Agile strategy.
Analysis
> Finding new ways to build is an important aspect of developing sustainable communities that balance the needs of the population, with the requirement to minimise the impact of development on the environment.
transitiontheHarnessenergy
Gateley worked with Ilke Homes Land Limited on its groundbreaking sale and purchase by a modular house builder, the first that it had delivered following major investment from Homes England.
13 Highlights and analysis 02
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Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report include:
Gateley is committed to reducing its environmental impact and to addressing climate change through the choices it makes as a business.
The move to remote or hybrid working has allowed many organisations to move some of their operations online.
> Leadership Lunches have also moved online, making them more accessible, as well as more environmentally friendly.
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Building homes & communitiessustainable12
> Due to home working during the pandemic, Gateley achieved a notable reduction in energy usage across all offices. This also led to a significant reduction in travel costs and lower carbon emissions resulting from travel.
Highlights from Gateley’s Responsible Business Report
Achieve equality, through diversity & inclusion
Gateley created the Women in Leadership programme through Inspire which seeks to support and retain female talent within the legal business and help them achieve the careers they want in the legal sector.
As a Group which was formed with diversity at its core, Gateley is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can bring their whole selves to work.
> Pride also provides opportunities for internal networking; to inform and influence the business on LGBTQ+ issues by providing an effective consultation mechanism for HR, L&D, the Strategic and Operations Boards.
>Genderinclude:equality
> Gateley is committed to supporting working parents to transition successfully back into work, with a number of initiatives in place to support its employees.
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> Gateley also signed up as a Halo Code workplace, the UK’s first Black Hair code. The Halo Code explicitly protects employees who come to work with natural hair and protective hairstyles associated with their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities.
14 Recognition and accreditations
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> Pride was set up to provide a welcoming, supportive, safe and confidential space for staff affected by sexual orientation and gender identity issues and is a place where they can share experiences, ideas or concerns.
> Gateley is focused on collecting the relevant diversity and inclusion data to be able to better analyse and review these initiatives accordingly.
Gateley also offers group coaching for all parents that are about to take extended leave.
> A mentor programme is available to females across the company at different points in their career.
Supporting Working Parents is a part of Gateley’s continued commitment to support flexible working arrangements for staff.
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Gateley has collaborated on projects with local community based LGBTQ+ related charities (including pro-bono work, fundraising, volunteering and mentoring) such as support of the LGBT Centre in Leicester and SupportU in Reading.
> Gateley also provides quarterly diversity and inclusion training for all its staff.
Supporting returners to work and working parents
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> Unity was set up to recognise, celebrate and support employees from all different cultures, religions, backgrounds and those with disabilities.
Gateley shares guidance on how people can be an effective ally to LGBTQ+ colleagues and shares stories to raise awareness on FRED, its intranet, and through lunch and learn sessions.
02 Highlights and analysis
Gateley also delivers unconscious bias training to line managers across the business to ensure that everyone in the business is treated positively by their colleagues.
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> Gateley runs group facilitated discussions for all line managers about how best to support people in their team about to go on leave or on their return.
Gateley is proud to have achieved the Law Society Gold Standard for its Diversity and Inclusion Charter and underpin its diversity and inclusion ethos with the support of two of its four network groups: Pride and Unity
Analysis
Importantly the organisation is continuously looking at data to analyse all its diversity and inclusion activities and identify where more needs to be done.
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Gateley also has staff networks to support those from under-represented groups within the workforce.
Organisations are increasingly looking at ways to reach a more diverse group of people and tap into a wider pool of talent. For example, Pennon Group takes part in listening groups to understand different lived experiences and extra support for employees with Down Syndrome. Training has been undertaken with the Down Syndrome Association, so that staff understand some of the specific challenges faced and Pennon is able to be an inclusive employer.
Highlights and analysis 02
Gateley also delivers unconscious bias training to all line managers and views education as an integral part of achieving equality within the organisation.
Underpinning all of Gateley’s work across the Levelling Up Goals is its commitment to achieving diversity and inclusion. The organisation has put achieving Equality through Diversity & Inclusion front and centre of its efforts, in line with Levelling Up Goal 14. Through its Women in Leadership programme, Gateley is committed to ensuring that women have an equal chance of progression. Importantly the organisation has used data to identify important points in a career where progression might be stifled. On the back of this, it has introduced a mentoring programme to support those wanting to progress.
Another area where Gateley is leading the way is its work on helping returners to the workplace. This is often an area that is overlooked but it can greatly improve the diversity of workforces. Gateley has a number of initiatives in place to support those who are returning from being out of the office - including staff coaching on how to communicate around the subject and the best way to plan for a return.
Examples of best practice
Gateley can enhance its community impact in a targeted approach towards key social mobility cold spots that are close to its offices and nearby to its key client sites.
The social mobility cold spots are areas that perform the lowest on the Government’s Social Mobility Index. This considers measures of the educational outcomes achieved by young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and the local job and housing markets to shed light on which are the best and worst places in England in terms of the opportunities young people from poorer backgrounds have to succeed.
2. Gateley should ensure that its recruitment processes are open to people from all different backgrounds. Underrepresented groups, such as carers, care leavers, those with a disability and those with neurodiversity, are often further from opportunity and need extra support once in Gateleyemployment.could actively engage with groups that represent those already disadvantaged in the workplace, such as Mencap, social services and further education colleges. The organisation could start by setting themselves small targets to grow the number of employees from these underrepresented groups.
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Recommendations
This Purpose Coalition report has highlighted some of Gateley’s contributions to levelling up. Through the analysis of the information in section 3 - the Purpose Coalition has set out some recommendations of how Gateley could increase its positive social impact. These recommendations aim to leverage Gateley’s existing best practice and target its efforts towards specific opportunity gaps within communities; as well as encouraging an emphasis on measurement and reporting to track the outcomes of these efforts.
Gateley can begin to consider how they target efforts around Goals 2,3 and 5 in these cold spots in order to have a concentrated and focused approach to levelling up. Its apprenticeship programme is one area where its efforts could be targeted towards those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, but all activity should be looked at through a social value lens.
1.People
Gateley could commit to working towards asking these four key questions over the next 12 months and share the results as part of the Equality of Opportunity Coalition. The coalition will come together to share best practice and work through the challenges of diversity tracking.
> Which type of school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?
> Did either of your parents attend university and gain a degree (e.g. BA/BSc or equivalent) by the time you were 18?
5. Gateley could build on its current mentoring work that is part of the Women in Leadership programme. It could develop similar programmes for other under-represented groups within the workforce to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to progress.
17 Recommendations 03
Gateley should continue to share its own experiences and best practice as well as learn from others. The organisation could start by setting themselves small targets to grow the number of employees from these under-represented groups. “
The four key questions are:
Gateley has seen both the environmental and business benefits of hybrid working during the pandemic. It should continue to lead the way in this area and evolve its processes in line with feedback and Theredata.are plenty of examples of organisations who are trialling innovative hybrid working solutions. For example, Virgin Money has introduced ‘A Life More Virgin’ - a purpose-led approach to flexible working.
Open Door will take the form of an online platform being developed in partnership with one of the Purpose Coalition’s strategic partners, one of the world’s largest recruitment agencies, the Adecco Group, with the aim of connecting students at our universities with placement and recruitment opportunities within our purpose-led businesses.
Gateley’s commitment to accelerating change through measurement and analysis could extend to deeper tracking of the socio-economic background of its employees, potential recruits and wider network of employers. This would help Gateley and the wider coalition’s understanding of what action is needed to improve socioeconomic diversity. Through the Social Mobility Pledge, we have worked closely with the Social Mobility Commission and others to shape four key questions to provide the data needed to develop an informed strategy for improving overall social mobility.
All mentoring programmes should have a structure in place to ensure that those taking part get as much out of the process as possible. Gateley could build on its ‘Make mentoring a mutual success’ training and create a strong group of mentors who can support each other.
> If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals at any point during your school years?
3. In further widening access to opportunity through its own recruitment processes, Gateley should consider joining the Purpose Coalition partners using a new platform which seeks to form ‘opportunity bridges’ with a network of universities to help under-represented communities enter professions and roles that previously have seemed closed off.
> What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14?
6.Planet
4.Potential
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