A letter from Justine Greening

2019 has been a big and successful year for the Social Mobility Pledge. With over 400 organisations, covering three million employees and one million students,  now signed up to the Pledge, together we are spreading opportunity throughout Britain. It’s also been a big year for me personally. I decided to stand down from Parliament after nine years on the front bench so that I could focus my efforts on working directly with employers and educators. 

I wanted to write to thank you personally for your support in this, and to give you my thoughts about the year ahead.
You’ll have heard me say before that one of the reasons I’m so passionate about social mobility is that it has characterised my own life story: I went from a comprehensive school in Rotherham to the Cabinet Room of Downing Street. What I’ve learned along the way is that government can bring about a lot of positive change on opportunity but that it really is only half of the picture. The other half happens on the ground. It’s when government and communities work in harmony that real change happens. 

That’s why a personal highlight of the year has been working with Pledge partners on Insight Reports, understanding what is working and sharing their best practice. 

I’m excited for the year ahead. With our work through the Pledge and a new government that has made it its mission to spread opportunity more evenly and level up Britain, we have a chance, possibly for the first time, to piece together the social mobility jigsaw and bring about real change in Britain
We have lots planned for 2020 to capitalise on this. I’m looking forward to working with you all to share ideas and uncover new ones as well as generating greater collaboration within and across sectors. 
But for now, I want to wish you a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.  And, again, to thank you for your support.  We are making a difference.

Yours

Justine