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Justine Greening, the former secretary of state for education and minister for women and equality is on a mission 鈥� to level the playing field for young people across the 海角视频.

Tackling the opportunity gap, Greening聽wants Britain to Build Back Better fairer and that means making sure the country is聽narrowing the gaps in prosperity and opportunities between regions so that youngsters from towns including Oldham, Rochdale, and Blackburn have the same opportunities as those from more affluent areas.

Greening was the Conservative鈥檚 first comprehensive school-educated Secretary of State and she wants to see a Britain where everyone can achieve their potential 鈥� no matter where they are from.

Two years ago, she established the Social Mobility Pledge, a cross party campaign to drive social mobility in the 海角视频.

Working with businesses and universities, the Pledge aims to help level up opportunities across the 海角视频 and within different sectors.

So far 450 businesses have signed up to the pledge including Manchester-based Auto Trader, city centre law firm DWF as well as Tesco, BP and Boots to name a few.

But there鈥檚 still 鈥榓 long way to go鈥� says Greening during a recent visit to Warrington-headquartered United Utilities, an early supporter of the Pledge.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been all about mobilising businesses to reach opportunity into communities and people who wouldn鈥檛 have it otherwise,鈥� said Greening.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had an incredible response in the past two years and it鈥檚 been absolutely amazing.

鈥淯nited Utilities was one of the very first companies to come on board and we鈥檝e seen loads more businesses now understanding that they鈥檝e got this wider place in the communities where they can be a force for good and get more opportunities out there at a time when it鈥檚 really going to matter to people.鈥�

Greening adds that for Britain to level up and become a high-skilled, high-wage economy education should be at the heart of its strategy.

鈥淓ducation is part of this and there鈥檚 no doubt about that,鈥� she says.

鈥淲hat we are working within the Social Mobility Pledge is to say to businesses that they can have a massive impact too.

鈥淏usinesses see this not only as the right thing to do but a smart thing to do.
鈥淭hey know that young people want to work for organisations that understand why this matters.

鈥淐ommunities are in a different place as well because of Covid they have seen many of their local businesses play a bigger role, they have volunteered, hey have helped a whole community to get through Covid and I think it鈥檚 shown employees just how much a wider community values it when a business gets involved.

鈥淏usinesses say to us that their employees have done so much for them during Covid and now they are saying what鈥檚 next. And the 'what next' is being involved in helping Britain level up.
鈥淚 know it鈥檚 tough out there, I know that many think there are fewer opportunities but actually that is why it鈥檚 never been more important to make people feel that they have a real shot at the opportunities that do exist and that鈥檚 the role that businesses can play.鈥�
The campaign comes at a critical time for many areas of the 海角视频 which have been hardest hit by Covid-19.

According to research by the Health Foundation, half of the areas with the highest Covid-19 death rates in Britain are in the poorest 30 per cent of local authorities.

The data also showed that the number of working age people claiming Universal Credit rose by eight per cent in the country鈥檚 poorest areas between March and August, compared to a five per cent increase in the wealthiest areas.

Earlier this year, a聽 聽also revealed that Covid-19 deaths in deprived areas during lockdown were more than double those in the wealthiest areas, and higher in BAME people than among white ethnic groups.

And a report from the London School of Economic says the 鈥楥OVID generation鈥� 鈥� young Britons currently under the age of 25 鈥� face declining social mobility unless 鈥榖old moves鈥� are made to create a fairer society 鈥� including a job guarantee scheme for those facing long-term unemployment and catch-up tutoring for disadvantaged children.

United Utilities customer service director Louise Beardmore wants to make sure young people are exposed to the opportunities the FTSE company has to offer.

She said: 鈥淎t United Utilities we serve seven million customers in the north west where we have some of the most extreme levels of deprivation and poverty in the country.

鈥淚f you look at the statistics pre-Covid, 48 out of a 100 of the most deprived council wards in the 海角视频 were here in the north west.

鈥淔ifty per cent of customers don鈥檛 have 拢300 of savings for an unexpected bill, and if you fast forward and look at the current situation, 17 of the 20 areas with the highest levels of Covid are here in the region too.

鈥淭hat has had an impact on the roles and quality of jobs here in the north west where we have a huge dependency on zero hour contract and part time work and all of those types of skills and roles are being impacted by the lockdown situation.

鈥淪o we have a real responsibility as one of the biggest employers in the north west to really pull together as an organisation and work together to make change happen.

鈥淭his is not a CSR activity, it鈥檚 about how we do business and make an impact.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of talent out there that we are keen to attract, that can think on their feet and can overcome adversity and who can actually make sure they deliver because they want to and not because it鈥檚 been gifted in any way.

鈥淎s a big employer we are saying if we work together the power of change can be significant.鈥�

Greening added: "We have a long way to go in education and and with business but ultimately we鈥檙e on that journey and the most important thing is that we are moving in the right direction.

鈥淏ut if we don鈥檛 take action together,聽Covid will put us further back so we have a choice now of what kind of country we want to build and in the north west what kind of region it鈥檚 going to be.鈥�