INTRODUCING THE UPWARD MOBILITY PLEDGE.

In 2018 we launched the UK Social Mobility Pledge with a simple yet powerful vision: to unlock potential and engage businesses on breaking down barriers to social mobility. Today, I’m proud to say that vision has been embraced by many others. Over 600 companies signed the Pledge, impacting millions of lives or their employees and within communities, by embedding (equality of) opportunity at the heart of corporate Britain. Through bringing people/leaders together, the Purpose Coalition now delivers on that crucial work with Britain’s best businesses and organisations.  

But the world doesn’t stand still, and neither can we. Challenges have evolved, and the need for bold action is greater than ever.  

That’s why today, we’re launching the Upward Mobility Pledge – it's a new/next stage of our journey that focuses not just on what business can do, but also on the individual.  

The Upward Mobility Pledge is a new pledge for individuals who are taking charge of their own upward mobility and supporting those around them. It’s a pledge to put upward mobility and opening up opportunity to people from all background at the heart of their own purpose.  

This shift reflects what we’ve learned, which is that driving social mobility is fundamentally about (driving) upward mobility: empowering people to take charge of their own journeys and help lift others as they climb. Upward mobility is about everyone having the chance to succeed, regardless of where they start in life. It’s about giving people a chance and the tools for success, regardless of where their life starts out. 

We’ve also seen a shift internationally. The move away from DEI in the United States highlights an understandable frustration—that too often, people have been treated not as individuals, but as groups. For many people it feels like the importance/value of individual effort and merit has been lost.  

Our answer to this is clear: businesses and leaders that want to improve the lives of their customers, colleagues and communities for the long-term should focus on what we call social, or upward mobility. Perhaps it's about spending less time labelling people - and more time being open to people from all backgrounds, regardless of class, who, if given the chance, can get on their own journey to success.  

In this new Upward Mobility Pledge we’re asking individuals to commit to three transformative goals for themselves and their communities: 

• Champion your own upward mobility. Being proud of your hard work, effort and talent. 

• Support others on their upward mobility journey. Such as sharing resources, volunteering and mentoring.  

• Work more broadly (in a wider community) towards breaking down barriers to success. Ensuring everyone has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their class background.  

This pledge is about truly collective action — it’s a new solution to unlocking potential through opportunity. It’s about sharpening our focus on opportunity – a change that can empower individuals and change lives – just as hard work, developing my talents, and access to opportunity has changed my own. 

We know this works. We’ve seen individuals excel when given the chance, communities strengthen when talent is nurtured, and society progress when opportunity is opened up to those willing to work hard and succeed. 

The Upward Mobility Pledge isn’t just an initiative. It’s a movement. It’s about building a society where potential has no limit, where talent has no obstacles, and where the only limit on success is the hard work you are prepared to put in. 

That is what Britain, and the world should be about. Together, we can make this happen.