BPP University wins Leadership Award at the UK Social Mobility Awards
updated on 27 November 2023
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BPP University Law School has won the coveted Leadership Award at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2023. Focusing on advancing social mobility and recognising employers that are working to improve it, the awards are run by London-based societal change charity Making The Leap, with the ceremony taking place on 12 October 2023.
There was stiff competition among the leadership category, which was championed by PwC, with BPP up against the likes of:
- Sky;
- Norton Rose Fulbright;
- Pemberton Asset Management;
- Barrington Hibbert Associates; and
- the University of Exeter.
The initiatives highlighted in the nomination, as outlined by Joint Heads of Social Impact at BPP Lucy Wildig and Emma Blackstone, included “external reverse mentoring, the apprenticeship influencer, […] our PLE projects: the experience project and streetlaw, [and] the law school”.
BPP’s reverse mentoring scheme is one of the recognised initiatives, with the aim of the programme to help firms rethink their diversity and inclusion strategies. As part of the scheme, law firm mentees learn from law student mentors. Following the acclaim of last year’s mentoring, BPP began this year’s programme at the start of November.
Blackstone explains that these schemes are vital to combat the lack of diversity in the legal sector. She highlights the Bridge Group’s 2018 report titled Socio-economic Background and Early Progression in the Law which shows that “those from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to be the highest performers in their firm and yet, on average, appear less likely to progress to senior positions”. She notes that research like this demonstrates why social mobility initiatives are so important.
Reflecting on the awards, Wildig and Blackstone say: “The key takeaways from the awards last night were that all those in the room, including many of our clients, were doing great things, but we all need to do more to drive positive change around social mobility. We are uniquely placed to help our clients do this with our diverse student body and links to the professions.”
