Progress Together – sharing best practice to improve socio-economic diversity at senior levels

Progress Together – sharing best practice to improve socio-economic diversity at senior levels

Progress Together – sharing best practice to improve socio-economic diversity at senior levels

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Open Resources2025-10-30T21:53:49+00:00

Resources

Progress Together is committed to bringing together UK financial services organisations in order to share best practice to improve their socio-economic diversity at senior levels.

We have compiled a broad range of resources to help employers understand the barriers to progression and then find ways to overcome these barriers with practical actions and guidance.

Our free access reports are available to view below. We will also have a number of additional in-depth reports and resources which will be exclusive to our members. If you are interested in becoming a member, please click the button below for more details

Aligning talent strategies alongside executive search firms

On 23rd September 2025, Progress Together convened Chief People Officers, Global HR Directors from Financial Services organisations, and senior leaders from executive search firms. The discussion focused on improving the representation of individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds in senior roles through external recruitment.

AESC & Progress Together Toolkit

The toolkit has been crafted for Boards, C-Suite executives, HR and talent acquisition teams, equipping them with evidence-based strategies and actionable steps to drive real change. The structured framework contains key questions for hiring managers to ask their executive search partners.

Impact Report 2025

This report highlights how we’re moving the dial through data, insight, collaboration and challenge. We’ve launched thought leadership, hosted a range of member events, and helped shape national conversations on AI, inclusion and future workforce resilience.

RISE with AI 2025

This report, “RISE with AI: Get your workforce AI-ready for the future of financial services”, explores how AI is transforming the UK’s financial services sector. While AI offers significant potential for efficiency, growth, and innovation, it also risks deepening socio-economic inequalities if not integrated thoughtfully.

Shaping the Sector 2024

This study is the largest of its kind globally, examining the link between socio-economic background and progression to the most senior and influential
positions in UK financial services.

VOICE Report 2024

VOICE sheds light on the barriers and opportunities faced by those from lower socio-economic backgrounds in financial services, and provides a practical, action-oriented blueprint to overcome these challenges.

The vital role of non-executive directors in creating a more socio-economically diverse workforce

Socio-economic background is more likely to impact a person’s route to success in financial services than gender or ethnicity.

Shaping our Economy report 2023

Socio-economic background is more likely to impact a person’s route to success in financial services than gender or ethnicity. Read Progress Together’s ‘Shaping the Economy’ report.

Progress Together Impact Report November 2022 – April 2023

77% of Progress Together members found that their work on socio-economic diversity had a positive impact on their work on gender and ethnicity diversity.

Progress Together Supporter Pack

Everything you need to know about becoming an official Progress Together Supporter.

Progress Together Member brochure

Everything you need to know about becoming an official Progress Together member

Building the Baseline: Breaking the Class Barrier

Surveying over 9,000 employees across 49 organisations, establishing a baseline of socio-economic diversity at senior levels in UK financial and professional services.

Employer index

The Index uses the latest research and best practice to measure entrants’ performance on eight areas of employer-led social mobility, providing you with expert guidance on how to improve year-on-year.

Levelling the Playing Field: Calculating Your Socio-economic Pay Gap

With the practical help this guide offers, employers have an opportunity to address the class pay gap.

Mind the Gap

KPMG’s Mind the Gap places a spotlight on social mobility
with a focus on building an inclusive and diverse workforce,
as the right thing to do and to
deliver better outcomes.

Inclusion Measurement Guide

This FSSC Inclusion Measurement Guide enables organisations to measure inclusion in three priority areas: analyse the behaviours and actions of employees, measure inclusion for the first time, as well as assist firms who are already using inclusion metrics to develop their existing data and analysis.

DE&I Blueprint – Association of British Insurers

This Blueprint sets out how the Association of British Insurers will work towards the goal of making the insurance and long-term savings industry the most diverse, equitable and inclusive sector of the UK economy.

Speaker script

Use this script when you’re speaking about Progress Together

Employer Index Report 2023

Want support to move up the Social Mobility Employer Index? Join Progress Together

Video: Breaking the Class Barrier

Hear form industry leaders and regulators as they discuss the business case for socio-economic diversity at senior level.

Breaking the Class Ceiling

Recommendations for building a more socio-economically diverse financial and professional services sector.

The Class Pay Gap

In November 2022 the Department for Opportunities published the most recent class pay gap figures broken down by ethnicity, gender, profession and geographical region.

Widening the Gate

View the latest UK Social Mobility Awards 2022 research report, Widening the gate? Advancing social mobility in 2021-22.

Social Mobility in the Workplace

This guide is aimed at employers looking for detailed advice to improve social mobility in the workplace.

The Building Blocks

This toolkit provides simple guidance to help businesses access a wealth of untapped talent and kickstart their socio-economic diversity strategy.

Who Gets Ahead?

Listen to podcasts from influential leaders across the financial and professional services sector discussing the need for greater socio-economic diversity at senior levels in their industries

Tackling the Class Ceiling

Recognising potential over polish – a report from the Investment Association

Economic and Social Mobility

The report covers topics including:
🔹 Why Social Mobility Matters
🔹 Cultural Capital as the Currency of the Workplace
🔹 Recommendations for Employers

The Diversity Data Guide

Created by the Investment Association and PWC, a guide to collecting and analysing data on the inclusion and diversity of your workforce

Socio-economic diversity and inclusion

Toolkit: Financial and professional services

Let’s talk about class

A collection of resources designed to support inclusive conversations between teams on the importance of socio-economic diversity in the workplace

Who gets ahead and how?

Socio-economic background and career progression in financial services: a study of eight organisations.

Who gets ahead and how?

Socio-economic background and career progression in financial services: a study of eight organisations.

Socio-economic diversity and inclusion

Toolkit: Financial and professional services

Let’s talk about class

A collection of resources designed to support inclusive conversations between teams on the importance of socio-economic diversity in the workplace

Employer Index Report 2021

Want support to move up the Social Mobility Employer Index? Join Progress Together

Supporter Pack

Everything you need to know about becoming a Supporter of Progress Together.

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