A decade of impact: Celebrating our work in widening access to banking and finance

“A report conducted by the Bridge Group on behalf of the Sutton Trust showcases the successes of our Pathways to Banking and Finance programme. We recently held an event at Deutsche Bank’s UKI regional headquarters to share the findings and discuss our work to widen access to the sector. Our Head of Employability Programmes, Claire Maton, reflects on the event. Entering the buzzy room at the Pathways to Progress: Widening Access to Banking and Finance event earlier this week, it felt like a full circle moment. Almost a decade ago, I was at Deutsche Bank for a much smaller event to launch our Pathways to Banking and Finance programme, when social mobility was only just coming onto the radar for the sector. This week, the room was packed with people and organisations passionate about social mobility, all seeking to create opportunity for young people but also create better and more effective business by tapping into all the talent the UK has to offer. Seeing how far the programme has come since launching is inspiring. The evaluation report delivered by the Bridge Group has given us robust evidence of long-term impact, with nearly 70% of participants either working in or pursuing a career in finance and clear data on their increased knowledge, skills, resilience and so much more. It’s especially pleasing to hear how these benefits continue after the programme activity comes to an end, as confirmed through conversations with the many alumni that attended the event. On the panel, our alum Daniel Babalola, spoke eloquently about how employers can do small things that make a big difference, and may stay with a young person for years to come. Things like inviting them in, covering travel costs and connecting them with colleagues from similar backgrounds . In Daniel’s words, “When employers did this it made me feel like they really saw me and wanted me there. That counts for a lot.” As a former sports psychologist I also enjoyed Ade Ademakinwa, a senior leader at Deutsche Bank, using a sports analogy with Bukayo Saka to reflect on the importance of identifying talent early, investing in development and fostering long-term commitment. It was a fitting comparison for the commitment and investment needed to make real change. It was clear from both panellists from Deutsche Bank and Lloyds Banking Group that their organisations see their commitment to social mobility as not just a social duty, but a commercial necessity. Over the past ten years, I have seen the sector move from tentative engagement to strategic intent. Social mobility is increasingly embedded in conversations about talent, performance and long-term business sustainability. The Sutton Trust has played an important role in driving that shift, not only by delivering impactful programmes, but by building the evidence base and convening employers around practical solutions. As the evaluation report clearly shows, and the Bridge Group’s Jenny Baskerville described, young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds still face many barriers and challenges trying to break into the sector. However this was a much more positive discussion about sharing good practice, giving advice and championing change. There is plenty of work still to do but it’s incredibly useful and empowering to hear how to do it from those with lived experience or who are further along their journey. For me, the best take away came from Sam Owo of Lloyds Banking Group, who spoke about it not being enough merely to open the doors. Outreach must be intentional and proactive, to reach young people where they are rather than expecting them to come to you, and with clear pathways from outreach activity into employment. Rather than a single entry point, it’s important to have varied and tactical strategies to ensure you are engaging different groups in the best possible way, and with opportunities that are both structured and inclusive. People are multifaceted, and our approaches need to reflect that complexity. My hope is that in another decade there will be another reflection point where we’ll be applauding thousands more students gaining the knowledge, skill and confidence to access early careers in banking and finance through outreach. But even more telling, we’ll be able to celebrate a truly diverse sector that is thriving as a result of capitalising on all the talent the UK has to offer. If you are interested in how we can continue to widen access and strengthen progression, I encourage you to read Pathways to Progress: Widening Access to Banking and Finance and consider how its recommendations can be applied in your own organisation and get in touch if you are interested in working with the Sutton Trust on this mission. The post A decade of impact: Celebrating our work in widening access to banking and finance appeared first on The Sutton Trust .

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