Justine Greening Launches Opportunity Action Plan with UWL
Scheme aims to help achieve social mobility at the university
Justine Greening
The University of West London (UWL) has partnered with the former Secretary of State for Education to increase access to higher education.
Former MP for Putney Justine Greening as helped launch an action plan which sets out a series of ambitions to ensure more people can improve career opportunities and be able to progress unhindered by their background or lack of connections.
UWL is now part of a group of UK universities and businesses aiming to set a higher standard on boosting social mobility in Britain, with a focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues.
The Opportunity Action Plan is the culmination of months of work with the Social Mobility Pledge team.
Ms Greening 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.
“The Covid-19 crisis has also reset the relationship between universities and their students, who expect them to be much more active on social purpose. I am delighted that UWL is at the forefront of this environmental, social and corporate governance agenda. Publishing this action plan today sends out a clear signal that the University of West London is raising the standard of corporate ESG and I look forward to working closely with them in the important months ahead for our country.
“I hope many more universities will follow UWL’s lead and consider how they can go further, faster to make Britain a high skilled, high knowledge economy.”
UWL was also an early signatory of the Social Mobility Pledge, cofounded by Justine Greening in 2018 alongside UK entrepreneur David Harrison which asks for a commitment to levelling up Britain by partnering with schools, offering apprenticeships and using open and fair recruitment practices.
Professor Peter John CBE, Vice-Chancellor at UWL, said, “Offering fair and equal access to education and boosting social mobility is one of the most important things we do here at UWL as part of our commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders and game-changers.
“As the Career University, we are already taking a leading role to help businesses grow and upskill our workforce right across the region. This partnership will only strengthen that commitment and help us work with even more partners to fully realise the potential of everyone within our communities.”
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December 2, 2020