How do firms take global action on socio-economic background when data is incomplete, inconsistent or unavailable?

That question sat at the centre of a recent Progress Together roundtable, where senior leaders from across financial services shared how they are navigating this challenge in practice across global organisations.

The discussion builds on Progress Together’s latest report, Socio-Economic Background in a Global Workforce, but focused on how these challenges are being interpreted and acted on by leaders today.

A consistent challenge, shaped by context

Across the discussion, leaders reflected on a consistent set of workforce dynamics. Socio-economic background continues to influence access to opportunity and progression into senior roles, regardless of geography.

However, what differs is the ability to measure and respond. Legal frameworks, cultural norms and data availability continue to shape what organisations can collect and how insight can be used.

Rather than applying a single global model, participants emphasised the need for approaches that are grounded in local context while aligned to a broader organisational intent.

Acting with incomplete insight

A central theme was the reality of operating with partial or uneven data. In some jurisdictions, socio-economic data cannot be collected. In others, it remains sensitive or difficult to implement consistently.

In response, leaders described how firms are combining available data with other forms of insight, including employee experience, qualitative feedback and patterns of progression, to inform decision-making.

This shift reflects a more pragmatic approach: recognising the limits of data while continuing to move forward.

Leadership judgement in practice

Where data is constrained, leadership behaviour becomes increasingly important.

Participants highlighted the need to act with clarity despite ambiguity, apply consistent principles across markets, and build trust in how decisions are made.

As Sophie Hulm, CEO of Progress Together, noted:
“Socio-economic background is influencing progression in every market, but many organisations are operating in environments where they cannot fully measure its impact. The leadership challenge is not whether to act, but how to make confident, responsible decisions when insight is partial and context varies.”

Looking beyond the pipeline

The discussion also reinforced the importance of addressing barriers earlier in the talent pipeline.

Leaders pointed to the continued influence of informal networks, unequal access to work experience, and the need for stronger alignment between outreach activity and core talent strategy.

This highlights the importance of linking early careers activity more directly to long-term progression outcomes.

What leaders are focusing on now

The reflections point to a number of emerging areas of focus for firms operating across markets: