Mears Group, a leading provider of housing services across the UK, has been recognised as Organisation of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards, for its approach to advancing social mobility.
With 51% of its workforce from lower socio-economic backgrounds and 53% of internal promotions in the past year coming from this group, the Groups impact is both measurable and meaningful.
Mears’ approach is data-led, inclusive, and transparent. It collects and publishes socio-economic background data to inform recruitment, progression, and retention practices. It also champions initiatives such as pay parity, leadership development, apprenticeships, wellbeing funds, social value activity and community outreach.
Jo Fry, Group HR Director comments: “We are delighted to win Organisation of the Year. Social mobility is integrated into all we do. From our social responsibility strategy and our culture to influencing policy and launching skills projects, coaching and mentoring. We want to ensure that inclusion runs throughout our employee lifecycle, supply chain, and wider industry partnerships. We’re proud of our progress and committed to continuing to make improvements to support our people to thrive.”
The UK Social Mobility Awards celebrate best practice, innovation, and excellence in promoting social mobility across Britain’s companies and institutions.
Mears is embedded in its local communities. Whether that’s interacting with people as customers or by being large community employers. Mears takes its responsibility around social mobility seriously and aims to contribute to society as an employer, as a local partner and as an enabler of opportunity.
About Mears
Mears is a leading provider of services to the affordable housing sector, providing a range of services to individuals within their homes. We manage and maintain around 450,000 homes across the UK and work predominantly with Central Government and Local Government, typically through long-term contracts. We equally consider the residents of the homes that we manage and maintain to be our customers, and we take pride in the high levels of customer satisfaction that we achieve.
Mears currently employs over 5,000 people and provides services in every region of the UK. In partnership with our Housing clients, we provide property management and maintenance services. Mears has extended its activities to provide broader housing solutions to solve the challenge posed by the lack of affordable housing and to provide accommodation and support for the most vulnerable.
We focus on long-term outcomes for people rather than short-term solutions and invest in innovations that have a positive impact on people's quality of life and on their communities' social, economic, and environmental wellbeing.
