Building firm is levelling up
HOUSEBUILDER Barratt and David Wilson Homes has unveiled a new action plan to increase access to career opportunities in the housebuilding sector for people in South Derbyshire.
The Social Mobility Pledge, cofounded by former Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening, is set to ensure more people are able to progress in careers, unhindered by their background or lack of connections.
As a signatory to the pledge, Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ parent company – Barratt Developments PLC – is one of a pioneering group of UK businesses and universities aiming to set a new and higher standard on boosting social mobility in Britain, with boardroom focus on environmental, social and corporate governance issues.
David Thomas, chief executive of Barratt Developments, said: “We want to build without barriers and are committed to ensuring everyone reaches their potential.
“We are proud to have more than double the national average of women in construction. But we know we can do more. This report reaffirms our commitment and sets out the ways that we can go further in the years ahead. As the country’s leading housebuilder and a major employer we have an important role to play as the country looks to recover beyond the coronavirus pandemic.”
The Social Mobility Pledge was cofounded by Ms Greening in 2018 after she left the Government, alongside UK entrepreneur David Harrison.
From a local perspective, Social Mobility research carried out in 323 local authorities identified South Derbyshire as an area where the Pledge could really make a difference to young people’s lives.
It asks businesses and universities to commit to levelling up Britain by partnering with local schools, offering apprenticeships and using open and fair recruitment practices.
A launch event to showcase Barratt Developments’ Opportunity Action Plan was recently held at a college close to the leading developer’s headquarters in Leicestershire and was the culmination of months of work with the Social Mobility Pledge team.
On the day, Ms Greening was given an insight into the leading developer’s action plan and also had the chance to meet with a couple of apprentices who shared their stories of the opportunities presented to them whilst working for Barratt and David Wilson Homes.
During Ms Greening’s visit, she also heard how Barratt Developments is helping the UK to build back better from the effects of Covid19. The former MP said: “Achieving true social mobility in Britain and levelling up our country is a huge challenge but one that businesses and universities are rising to.
“They have a crucial role to play and can be an incredible force for good in spreading opportunities more evenly across communities and to people that have missed out for far too long.”