SOMOs 2024: Best-in-class recognised at Social Mobility Oscars

The 2024 SOMOs™ Awards Gala, hosted by Sue Perkins, took place on Thursday 3rd October, celebrating businesses, institutions and individuals who champion social mobility

• Seventeen awards announced, including five individuals, 10 organisations and two institutions
• Part of the year-long UK Social Mobility Awards programme, in association with National Grid

The best-in-class businesses, institutions and individuals championing social mobility were recognised at the 2024 SOMOs ™ on Thursday night, with seventeen winners announced.

The awards, founded by Making The Leap, were set up to recognise organisations prioritising social mobility through recruitment and progression programmes, community outreach, or by creating innovative change. This year’s judges included a panel of 26 esteemed leaders, chaired by Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE.

KPMG were named Organisation of the Year for their outstanding contribution to social mobility across several initiatives, while Sky picked up the Leadership award, as well as the Community Programme award.

The Innovation award was won by PA Consulting for their Second Chance programme, McGinley won the Progression Programme award for its upskilling initiative, and Nationwide won the Social Mobility Network award for driving cultural inclusion and supporting colleagues from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

The Recruitment Programme of the Year award was won by Grant Thornton for their relentless work to access and opportunity, and the Pre-Recruitment award was picked up by PwC.

In education, Leicester College were winners of the School/College award, while University of Bradford picked up University of the Year. In the new Public Sector Organisation of the Year award, Cardiff Council were winners, and financial wellbeing platform Blackbullion took home the Small Business of the Year award.

In the individual categories, Linklaters’ Patrick McCann won Champion of the Year, alongside the Special Recognition award for PwC’s Chris Reeve, while ITN’s Roohi Hasan was named Mentor of the Year, and KPMG’s David McIntosh Jr named Rising Star.

Professor Colin Bailey CBE was recognised for the Outstanding Contribution Award for his work in making Queen Mary University of London a citadel for social mobility, which punctuates everything the university does.

The full list of winners at the UK Social Mobility Awards, in association with National Grid:

• Organisation of the Year, championed by bp – Winner: KPMG; Highly commended: Browne Jacobson
• Leadership of the Year, championed by PwC – Winner: Sky
• Innovation of the Year, championed by Amazon – Winner: PA Consulting
• Recruitment Programme of the Year, championed by Hedley May – Winner: Grant Thornton; Highly commended: AMS Talent Lab 
• Pre-Recruitment Programme of the Year, championed by Landsec – Winner: PwC; Highly commended: Worley
• Community Programme of the Year – Winner: Sky
• Progression Programme of the Year, championed by Sky – Winner: McGinley
• Social Mobility Network of the Year – Winner: Nationwide
• School/College of the Year, championed by BNP Paribas – Winner: Leicester College; Highly commended: Gower College Swansea 
• University of the Year, championed by Nationwide – Winner: University of Bradford
• Public Sector Organisation of the Year – Winner: Cardiff Council; Highly commended: Sandwell Council 
• Small Business of the Year – Winner: Blackbullion; Highly commended: Rockleigh
• Champion of the Year – Winner: Patrick McCann, Linklaters
• Mentor of the Year – Winner: Roohi Hasan, ITN
• Rising Star – Winner: David McIntosh Jr, KPMG
• Outstanding Contribution to Social Mobility Award – Professor Colin Bailey CBE, Queen Mary University of London
• Special Recognition Award – Chris Reeve, PwC

The Key Findings report for the SOMOs™, exploring the work done by all entrants to advance social mobility over the past year, will be released later in October.

Tunde Banjoko OBE, Founder of the UK Social Mobility Awards, said:
“This year’s awards entrants are a testament to the increasing significance of social mobility to UK businesses, which is exactly what we set out to achieve when we started the awards eight years ago. We appreciate the support of all our partners and entrants and for their important part in raising awareness of social mobility across the UK.

“We started the UK Social Mobility Awards as a vehicle to raise awareness of social mobility and to showcase the individuals and organisations who are dedicated to its advancement. It’s fantastic to see all the work they have done to help provide equal opportunities for individuals to succeed.

“Congratulations to our winners and nominees, whose dedication to the advancement of social mobility helps provide equal opportunities for individuals across the country.”