Law firms Browne Jacobson and Linklaters, and water organisation Severn Trent have been named as some of the top employers for championing social mobility in the workplace in the 2025 Social Mobility Employer Index.
Browne Jacobson took first place for the second consecutive year, while Severn Trent and Linklaters took second and third place respectively in the index, which is run annually by the Social Mobility Foundation, with seven of the top 10 comprising law firms.
Employers that enter the index receive tailored feedback to make meaningful improvements to access, progression and internal culture for staff from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Many of this year’s 140 entrants have adopted best practice, with 74% collecting socioeconomic background data for their workforces. More than four-fifths (82%) of entrants that offer apprenticeships pay them the real living wage or higher, and 75% target careers outreach to schools based on socioeconomic background.
This year also saw 36 entrants measuring their class pay gaps, an increase of 10 from last year. A total of 60 entrants (43%) are either already measuring their class pay gaps or planning to measure these next year.
Sarah Atkinson, chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, said: “Congratulations to all the employers in this year’s Index. They’re leaders in creating workplaces where everyone can thrive, leading to more representative, innovative, successful organisations.
“Too many young people are being held back from reaching their potential because of their background. That’s unfair for them, and in a country facing a skills shortage, it’s bad for all of us. We need more employers to step up their game, enter the index, and take action to improve social mobility. And we need the government to follow the lead of this year’s forward-thinking entrants and make all large employers report socioeconomic data for their workforces.”
Caroline Green, senior partner at Browne Jacobson, added: “Being ranked number one for the second consecutive year, as well as the leading law firm for social mobility, demonstrates our unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers and creating genuine opportunities.
“Social mobility sits at the heart of our strategic vision to be at the forefront of society’s biggest issues. This isn’t just about what happens within our own firm, we believe in the power of collective action. Through our Social Mobility Incubator, we’re sharing our insights, tools and practical experience with clients, other law firms and organisations across all sectors, because real change happens when we work together to build a fairer, more inclusive profession and society.”
Andrew Johnston, managing partner of Addleshaw Goddard, which placed fifth, said: “This is about widening the gate, not lowering the barrier. Opening up access to the legal profession and making our recruitment processes as inclusive as possible is key to ensuring we welcome a diverse pipeline of talented people into our firm who reflect our clients and the communities in which we operate.
“We want Addleshaw Goddard to be an employer that offers people the opportunity to succeed and fulfil their potential, regardless of their background. We know we have more to do and will take inspiration from the great work of other employers in the index.”
