Shepherd and Wedderburn has been ranked 50th in UK-wide Social Mobility Employer Index

Shepherd and Wedderburn has today been ranked 50th in a list of the UK’s top 75 employers published by the Social Mobility Foundation, demonstrating its progress in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

The firm has moved up two places in the Social Mobility Employer Index 2021, which assesses UK employers across seven key areas: their work with young people, routes into the company, how they attract talent, recruitment and selection, data collection, progression, experienced hires, and advocacy. The legal sector had the highest representation in the 2021 Index, accounting for 25% of the organisations listed.

Shepherd and Wedderburn, which signed the Social Mobility Pledge in 2018, is a founding member of PRIME, an initiative led by the UK’s leading law firms that offers quality work experience to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and sponsors a student through the Lawscot Foundation, providing financial support, mentoring, access to summer school and assistance with securing internships and traineeships.

The firm is also a member of the Social Mobility Foundation Mentoring Scheme, offering secondary school and university students access to a mentor to assist them in improving their CV, applying to internships and university courses, writing personal statements and preparing for mock interviews.

Gillian Carty, Chair of Shepherd and Wedderburn, said: “We are wholeheartedly committed to furthering our inclusion policies and to working with clients and other organisations to increase recruitment and provide progression opportunities for people of all backgrounds. We are pleased to see the progress we have made reflected in the 2021 Index and would like to extend our congratulations to all the organisations that have been ranked this year.”

Sarah Atkinson, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation, said: “It is encouraging that the extremely challenging circumstances of the pandemic has not deterred these firms from prioritising social mobility. It is right that they have done so. Government cannot go it alone when levelling up; indeed, the Index shows businesses and organisations are leading the way instead. Opportunity creation for the next generation, especially those from less well-off backgrounds, must be prioritised in the years ahead. As ever, we stand ready to support employers of all sizes in their social mobility journey.”