Compass’ Mission to a Million commitment aims to enhance opportunities and change lives, through job creation, education, training, community and charitable engagement. It includes gender, ethnic minority and the industry’s first socio-economic representation targets across its executive team, middle management, junior management and frontline roles, such as chefs.
Held at Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge, the UK’s largest food service provider brought together leaders in the social mobility space. Delegates heard from keynote speaker Professor Lee Elliot Major OBE, who is dedicated to improving the prospects of disadvantaged children and young people.
Robin Mills managing director of Compass Group UK & Ireland and Amanda Scott, director of talent, learning and D&I, Compass Group UK & I gave an update on what Compass has achieved in year one, what the organisation has learnt and where more work is needed.
Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, highlighted the critical role a decent wage plays in social mobility. Panel discussions saw representatives from Career Ready, Bright Blue, Direct Line Group and Deloitte discuss changing recruitment processes to make them more accessible, the importance of building social capital as well as ensuring organisational culture and practices create an environment where everyone can thrive.
Mills said: “Improving social mobility is not something that one group can solve overnight. By working together with our clients and partners, I believe we can drive real change and we can learn from one another along the way.
“I want Compass to be a force for good and social mobility is now an important part of our DNA. I don’t think we can underestimate the significance of the work we have undertaken this year, at the start of our Mission to a Million journey.”