The Opportunity Effect: How social mobility can help drive business and the economy forward

At Demos, we are looking at how we can improve the support given to citizens so that everyone, regardless of background or characteristics, can access good, meaningful work. Tackling barriers to employment and progression are a key art of this work and vital in ensuring that we create an economy where everyone contributes to a prosperous, shared future.

This report, supported by The Co-operative Group, makes the business case for social mobility – looking at what businesses stand to gain from introducing strategies and practices that promote social mobility in their workforce, and what widespread adoption could mean for productivity and economic growth.

We introduce what we call ‘The Opportunity Effect’ – the substantial boost that social mobility can give to business outcomes. We estimate that the economic impact of all businesses investing significantly in social mobility could be up to £19 billion to GDP, generating around £6.8 billion in yearly tax revenues and boosting profits by over £1.8bn a year.

In combining original survey data with secondary evidence and interview insights from business leaders, we lay out the various ways in which businesses can promote social mobility and the benefits this can bring to employers, employees, and their communities.