Chris Luck, CEO joins the Advisory Board of the UK Financial and Professional Services (UKFPS) Taskforce seeking to boost socio-economic diversity at senior levels
This week Chris is joining other senior leaders to find ways to boost diversity in leadership across UK organisations. Being invited to join the taskforce is a significant achievement and reflects the way Shaw Trust is now perceived at the highest levels of business and government.
This taskforce is an opportunity to make a difference to diversity across the UK’s financial and professional services. Currently the sector has a lack of socio-economic diversity at the top. Across eight financial services organisations, 89% of senior level employees are from professional backgrounds. This compares to 47% at junior levels, 52% of UK CEOs economy wide and 33% of the UK’s working population.
In law firms, more than half of all partners are from professional backgrounds and there is a £5k class pay gap in the tech sector versus £17.5k in financial service
The reason this is important is because greater socio-economic diversity encourages those with a talent to progress, creates role models and opens up opportunities for social mobility. The UK is ranked 21st in World Economic Forum’s Global Social Mobility Index – outperformed by the USA, Singapore, Japan, Germany on lifelong learning.
Making sure people from all backgrounds are able to progress is fundamental to Shaw Trust.
Together we are working towards better social cohesion, improved communities and stronger, local economies because these are the things that improve individual lives, level up opportunities and create better futures. For us, everyone deserves to have power and control over their lives, from child to career. Everyone in society should be free to make choices, to set and strive for goals through good employment.
We know from our experience of working with thousands of people each year, if you are disadvantaged as child your choices are fewer. Socio-economic deprivation starts when you don’t see your parents work, or not being rewarded by work. It closes down the futures open to you.
Every day at Shaw Trust we meet individuals who believe their future is closed. We work to challenge these futures. We are committed to improving the lives of those we support and for our own people. We progress and select on potential, mentor for excellence and share our knowledge and experience freely – only by living our values do we open up futures for everyone in society.
Chris will be posting regular updates on his involvement in the taskforce and you can follow him on Twitter or LinkedIn