ST framework updated

OUR SOCIAL MOBILITY FRAMEWORK

FOREWORD During my time as Education Secretary I realised the true scale of the problem we’re facing when it comes to social mobility in the United Kingdom.

It quickly became clear to me that talent is spread evenly in our country, but opportunity isn’t.

Whether this means your opportunity is affected by where you live, how financially secure your parents are, or even the type of accent you have - all of these things can wrongly affect your chances of doing well in life and achieving your ambitions.

I wish I could say things are getting better, but they’re not.

It has been shown that the United Kingdom is failing on social mobility against almost every single measure.

According to recent figures published by the OECD, the UK is performing worse on social mobility when compared to most other OECD nations, and that the current generation in this country is worse off than their parents.

I realised that Government can only ever do so much.

That’s why, when I stood down from Government, I set up the Social Mobility Pledge, to bring together businesses and society to make a real difference to millions of people across our country.

The Pledge believes that business is the solution to social mobility, not the problem.

My vision of a fully socially mobile country is one where opportunity is on your doorstep.

Severn Trent has shown how great local companies can offer excellent local opportunities, through its first-rate apprenticeships, training and graduate opportunities for local people across The Midlands.

Some companies are better than others, and while Severn Trent is more than pulling its weight, it’s important that we share its best practices and develop a strong framework for social mobility.

It is my hope that by developing a social mobility framework for social mobility that we can set an industry-wide standard for social mobility that all financial services companies will get behind, and ensure no one is left behind.

The Skills Tap framework is all about encouraging companies in the water sector and across all other sectors to increasingly move away from one-off social mobility programmes, to offering high quality, and meaningful apprenticeships and training opportunities for young people locally, ; while up-skilling the next generations and truly turning on the Skills Tap. Rt Hon Justine Greening MP Former Secretary of State for Education

OUR WORK SO FAR: SKILLS TAP: INSIGHT & FRAMEWORK In June 2019, Severn Trent and the Social Mobility Pledge launched the Skills Tap campaign. This followed the publication of an insight report that looked at the best practices of Severn Trent in regards to social mobility, as Rt Hon Justine Greening MP and the Social Mobility Pledge identified the company as a leader in social mobility.

The learnings and outcomes from the report will be developed into a framework that can be scaled across the water sector, but first it’s important to look at the findings from the Insight Report.

The Insight Report focused on two key aspects of Severn Trent work. Firstly, showing how a local company offering quality apprenticeships, jobs and training opportunities can boost socially mobility locally and up skill the next-generation.

Secondly, how changing national policy, such as the apprenticeship levy, can further boost social mobility.

Collaboration and culture is at the heart of Severn Trent’s approach to social mobility, from working with councils, charities and other companies, and developing the wellbeing of its employees internally, its best practices can be seen throughout its programmes:

1. Apprenticeships

2. Apprenticeship Levy

• Severn Trent’s apprenticeship scheme allows individuals across The Midlands, and the wider country, to join the next generation of operational specialists in their engineering, financial, digital, humans resources and legal teams.

• Business-led social mobility is the key to up-skilling the next generation, tackling the skills gap, and thus closing the opportunity gap across the country. But Government support for business is important too.

That’s why Government should listen to business and develop its policies in a way that can help business, help people.

• There are two separate schemes: the water process technician and utilities engineering technician schemes; as well as the higher apprenticeship training schemes.

• Severn Trent understands that progression within the company is one of the most important things for every person that joins the company. That’s why this first-class training is supported by a mentoring programme to ensure a helping hand for every apprentice’s journey through the company. Severn Trent apprentices work closely with their line managers and site mentors, with quarterly performance reviews to discuss progress, review their actions and discuss future development.

• A personal development plan is developed for every apprentice at the company to ensure maximum benefit from training and maximise progression within the company.

• Alongside on-the-job learning and earning, the apprenticeship schemes at Severn Trent are combined with formal qualifications.

• The UK Apprenticeship Levy was introduced following reform of the Government’s apprenticeship funding in 2016, to encourage employers to take on more apprentices. All UK employers that have an annual pay bill of more than £3 million contribute 0.5% of the wage bill towards the Levy’s pot. By 2019-20, the Levy is predicted to raise £3 billion.

• However, the Levy has not had the desired effect. The number of apprenticeships has fallen since the new apprenticeship funding system was introduced. There were 199,100 fewer starts in 2017/18 compared to the previous year.

• The Pledge and Severn Trent will explore ways the apprenticeship levy might be reformed to give responsible employers, such as Severn Trent, more freedom to spend the levy funds directly on expanding employment.

STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES UNEMPLOYMENT

Levels

% of pop

Levels

Percentage

WEST MIDLANDS

People

People

People

People

124,945

3.4

1

25,470

0.7

995

2.2

115

260

0.6

Birmingham, Edgbaston

3,590

5.1

365

730

1.0

Birmingham, Erdington

4,935

7.5

630

1,095

1.7

Birmingham, Hall Green

4,840

6.3

565

1,015

1.3

Birmingham, Hodge Hill

5,860

7.5

620

1,205

1.5

Birmingham, Ladywood

8,155

7.8

825

1,545

1.5

Birmingham, Northfield

3,810

6.0

400

740

1.2

Birmingham, Perry Barr

5,105

7.1

525

935

1.3

Birmingham, Selly Oak

3,250

4.4

445

780

1.1

Birmingham, Yardley

4,140

5.9

505

785

1.1

Bromsgrove

1,055

1.8

190

310

0.5

Burton

1,215

1.8

185

340

0.5

Cannock Chase

1,250

2.0

145

340

0.5

Coventry North East

2,675

3.3

400

745

0.9

Coventry North West

1,855

2.6

225

540

0.7

Coventry South

1,960

2.3

320

530

0.6

Dudley North

2,680

5.2

70

215

0.4

Dudley South

2,055

4.2

80

170

0.3

Halesowen and Rowley Regis

2,005

3.7

60

120

0.2

Hereford and South Herefordshire

1,100

1.8

180

365

0.6

Kenilworth and Southam

430

0.9

55

120

0.2

Lichfield

940

1.7

140

270

0.5

Ludlow

835

1.7

120

280

0.6

2,530

3.8

170

295

0.4

955

1.6

150

245

0.4

Aldridge-Brownhills

Meriden Mid Worcestershire

UNEMPLOYMENT

Levels

% of pop

Levels

Percentage

WEST MIDLANDS

People

People

People

People

1,160

1.9

150

265

0.4

725

1.4

105

220

0.4

North Shropshire

1,285

1.9

230

470

0.7

North Warwickshire

1,255

2.2

125

255

0.5

Nuneaton

1,860

3.2

105

205

0.3

Redditch

1,570

2.8

215

355

0.6

Rugby

1,460

2.3

60

55

0.1

Shrewsbury and Atcham

1,210

1.9

205

400

0.6

970

1.6

85

180

0.3

South Staffordshire

1,000

1.7

105

155

0.3

Stafford

1,020

1.7

175

300

0.5

610

1.3

45

105

0.2

Stoke-on-Trent Central

2,445

4.3

350

630

1.1

Stoke-on-Trent North

2,415

4.0

295

680

1.1

Stoke-on-Trent South

1,740

3.2

305

570

1.0

525

1.0

70

145

0.3

1,820

3.3

95

185

0.3

725

1.4

40

85

0.2

Sutton Coldfield

1,110

2.0

135

225

0.4

Tamworth

1,325

2.2

185

335

0.6

Telford

1,855

3.1

135

380

0.6

985

1.7

90

215

0.4

Walsall North

3,000

4.9

380

675

1.1

Walsall South

2,865

4.4

350

740

1.1

Warley

2,545

4.1

110

295

0.5

990

1.5

190

335

0.5

West Bromwich East

2,345

4.1

125

280

0.5

West Bromwich West

2,535

4.2

110

290

0.5

West Worcestershire

850

1.6

120

215

0.4

Wolverhampton North East

3,370

5.9

275

585

1.0

Wolverhampton South East

3,535

6.1

310

560

1.0

Wolverhampton South West

2,770

5.0

195

400

0.7

Worcester

1,550

2.3

280

415

0.6

Wyre Forest

1,280

2.2

140

290

0.5

Newcastle-under-Lyme North Herefordshire

Solihull

Staffordshire Moorlands

Stone Stourbridge Stratford-on-Avon

The Wrekin

Warwick and Leamington

Proportion of 16 and 17 year olds recorded as participating in:

Apprent iceship

Work based learning

Part time educatio n

90.2%

5.5%

0.0%

1.6%

0.0%

0.0%

6,300

85.5%

6.0%

0.5%

0.0%

2.8%

1.9%

16,550

86.5%

6.1%

2.2%

0.0%

0.8%

0.0%

4,780

85.3%

7.0%

0.5%

0.1%

2.0%

0.0%

10,840

86.4%

7.6%

0.5%

0.0%

0.4%

0.0%

Sandwell

8,070

87.9%

3.2%

3.0%

0.0%

0.5%

0.0%

Wolverhampton

5,750

87.9%

3.0%

3.0%

0.0%

0.4%

0.0%

Oxfordshire*

12,450

86.9%

6.1%

0.5%

0.0%

0.8%

0.0%

Derbyshire*

14,940

82.1%

8.7%

0.6%

0.6%

1.9%

0.0%

Walsall

6,670

86.2%

4.7%

2.1%

0.0%

0.6%

0.0%

Shropshire*

5,540

86.0%

5.4%

0.1%

0.1%

0.9%

1.1%

Worcestershire

11,580

84.6%

6.8%

1.1%

0.0%

0.6%

0.5%

Severn Trent Area Average

19,212

84.0%

6.2%

1.7%

0.1%

1.1%

0.3%

97.3 % 96.7 % 95.6 % 94.9 % 94.8 % 94.6 % 94.3 % 94.3 % 93.9 % 93.8 % 93.6 % 93.5 % 93.4 % 89.0 %

Rutland Chester* Staordshire* Solihull Warwickshire*

North East Lincolnshire

“Number of 16-17 year olds known to the LA1"

Full time education and training

560

Employment combined with study Other Total

3,400

78.0%

8.1%

2.4%

0.3%

0.1%

0.1%

Nottinghamshire*

15,860

85.3%

5.9%

0.5%

0.0%

0.8%

0.8%

Northamptonshire*

15,500

83.9%

7.3%

1.0%

0.0%

0.5%

0.2%

Birmingham

28,660

86.4%

4.3%

1.9%

0.0%

0.1%

0.2%

Leicestershire*

13,170

83.7%

8.1%

0.4%

0.0%

0.7%

0.0%

Doncaster

6,440

74.9%

10.7%

3.4%

0.0%

3.5%

0.2%

Coventry

7,260

83.7%

7.3%

0.8%

0.1%

0.3%

0.0%

North Lincolnshire

3,590

86.2%

7.0%

0.2%

0.0%

0.1%

0.2%

Rotherham

5,870

78.8%

6.9%

4.2%

0.0%

2.4%

0.0%

Nottingham

6,330

85.9%

3.8%

0.6%

0.0%

0.6%

0.9%

Dudley

7,170

82.0%

5.5%

2.6%

0.1%

1.4%

0.1%

12,740

80.9%

6.7%

2.3%

0.1%

0.3%

0.1%

5,600

75.6%

7.8%

4.2%

0.0%

1.8%

0.0%

Gloucestershire* Derby

*Only part of the County is covered by Severn Trent

93.3 % 93.0 % 92.9 % 92.9 % 92.6 % 92.3 % 93.7 % 92.3 % 91.8 % 91.7 % 90.4 % 89.4 %

MIDLANDS ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT (GCSEs)

Percent age of pupils entered for English and Maths GCSE compo nents

Percent age of pupils who achieve d a 9-5 English and Maths GCSE pass4

Percent age of pupils who achieve d a 9-4 English and Maths GCSE pass 4

Percent Avera age of ge pupils Englis entered h for all accal compo aureat nents e of Point English Score accalau per reate pupil

Number of pupils include d in the measur e (Progres s 8)

Avera ge Progre ss 8 score3 (Progr ess 8)

Low er confi denc e inter val (Prog ress 8)

Upper confid ence interv al (Progr ess 8)

459

52.6

99.3

57.3

79.3

27.2

4.32 448

0.44

0.32

0.56

Warwickshire*

5,325

49.5

97.6

48.9

69.4

38.8

4.32 5,128

0.08

0.04

0.11

Gloucestershire*

6,006

49.4

97.8

47.0

68.9

34.7

4.33 5,613

0.02

-0.02 0.05

Nottinghamshire*

7,497

47.1

98.3

45.2

66.2

36.1

4.07 7,319

-0.02

-0.05 0.01

Solihull

2,917

47.1

97.3

45.1

67.5

37.7

4.05 2,850

-0.13

-0.18 -0.09

Leicestershire*

6,837

46.1

97.7

43.4

66.9

34.6

4.00 6,644

-0.03

-0.06 0.00

Derbyshire*

7,067

45.4

97.8

42.6

64.0

32.1

3.92 6,948

-0.23

-0.26 -0.20

Northamptonshire*

7,327

44.9

97.0

41.1

62.2

38.3

3.93 6,992

0.00

-0.03 0.03

Cheshire West and Chester* North East Lincolnshire North Lincolnshire

3,298

46.3

97.4

40.5

64.2

44.3

4.07 3,152

-0.10

-0.15 -0.06

1,685

44.5

97.6

40.4

63.9

30.1

3.80 1,641

0.11

0.05

0.17

1,685

44.5

97.6

40.4

63.9

30.1

3.80 1,641

0.11

0.05

0.17

Shropshire*

2,850

45.7

97.7

40.3

63.4

37.1

4.00 2,701

-0.07

-0.12 -0.02

Worcestershire

2,850

45.7

97.7

40.3

63.4

37.1

4.00 2,701

-0.07

-0.12 -0.02

Severn Trent Area Average Birmingham

4,254

45.1

97.3

40.2

62.2

33.2

3.85 4,063

-0.07

-0.11 -0.02

12,166

45.7

96.6

39.9

59.4

40.0

3.98 11,184

-0.03

-0.05 -0.01

Derby

2,748

43.0

96.1

38.0

58.7

40.9

3.78 2,596

-0.19

-0.24 -0.14

Staffordshire*

8,286

44.4

96.6

37.7

60.4

33.9

3.78 8,087

-0.11

-0.14 -0.09

Coventry

3,379

43.1

96.9

37.4

60.0

38.9

3.71 3,131

-0.07

-0.12 -0.03

Doncaster

2,903

42.5

96.7

37.0

58.5

19.0

3.52 2,822

-0.22

-0.27 -0.17

Rotherham

3,147

43.3

97.5

37.0

58.9

23.7

3.59 3,069

-0.10

-0.15 -0.06

Dudley

3,283

43.3

97.3

36.6

60.0

34.9

3.69 3,209

-0.15

-0.19 -0.10

Wolverhampton

2,613

44.2

96.7

36.0

57.3

27.2

3.58 2,423

-0.05

-0.10 0.00

Oxfordshire*

2,613

44.2

96.7

36.0

57.3

27.2

3.58 2,423

-0.05

-0.10 0.00

Walsall

3,233

43.7

96.8

35.9

56.9

35.0

3.69 3,119

-0.19

-0.24 -0.15

Nottingham

2,541

41.2

96.1

32.5

54.0

29.2

3.45 2,300

-0.27

-0.32 -0.22

Sandwell

3,634

40.4

97.6

28.2

50.6

20.8

3.29 3,441

-0.31

-0.35 -0.27

Rutland

*Only part of the County is covered by Severn Trent

Child Poverty

Year (After Housing Costs)

2018 v 2011

Coventry City Council Ward

2018

2011

Change

Bablake

17%

10%

+7%

Binley and Willenhall

36%

38%

-2%

Cheylesmore

24%

19%

+5%

Earlsdon

12%

5%

+7%

Foleshill

49%

44%

+5%

Henley

38%

38%

0%

Holbrook

33%

26%

+7%

Longford

36%

32%

+4%

Lower Stoke

33%

29%

+4%

Radford

36%

32%

+4%

St Michael’s

53%

45%

+8%

Sherbourne

25%

17%

+8%

Upper Stoke

34%

29%

+5%

Wainbody

14%

5%

+9%

Westwood

29%

25%

+4%

Whoberley

20%

13%

+7%

Woodlands

21%

14%

+7%

Wyken

18%

15%

+3%

Source: data provided by Coventry City Council and published by the End Child Poverty Coalition, mapped child poverty for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. Note: The 2016, 2017, 2018 figures use two different measures of “before housing costs” and “after housing costs.” The above data for 2018 has only used “after housing costs.”

THE STATE OF THE REGION REPORT Employment and Education for 16 and 17 year olds Across the Severn Trent Supply Area, 93.1% of 16 and 17 year olds are either in full time education, training, work based learning, part time education, employment combined with study or taking part in an apprenticeship.

The figure in Rutland stands at 97.3% - the highest across the Severn Trent supply area. In Derby, the figure is 89.4%.

In Coventry, where Severn Trent is Headquartered, the figure stands at 92.3%.

GCSE Data Across the Severn Trent supply area, 40.2% of pupils achieve a 9-5 pass in GCSE English and Maths. 60.2% of pupils achieve a 9-4 pass.

Again, Rutland is the local authority with the highest proportion GCSE English and Maths passes, with 57.3% achieving a 9-5 pass and 79.3% achieving a 9-4 pass. The local authority with the lowest proportion is Sandwell, with 28.2% and 50.6% respectively. The figure for Coventry is 37.4% and 60.0% respectively.

Child Poverty Data Child Poverty in all but two Coventry City Council wards has increased between 2011 and 2018.

In some parts of Coventry, Child Poverty after housing costs currently stands at 50%, In a majority of wards across the city, Child Poverty after housing costs stands at more than 25%.

Employment for Adults

Rates of unemployment for adults vary significant by geographic spread across The Midlands region, as shown in the above table. This means some areas have more opportunities and more social mobility than others simply due to their location.

The ward with the highest level of child poverty is St Michael’s, where there is an estimated 1,711 children in poverty before housing costs, or around 37.12% of children in the area.

The estimate after housing costs is 2,431 children, or 52.73%. In contrast, the ward with the lowest level of child poverty is Earlsdon, where there is an estimated 191 children in poverty before housing costs, or around 7.10% of children in the area.

The estimate after housing costs is 314 children, or 11.68%.

OUR FOUR COMMITMENTS: WE WILL ENSURE OUR PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF OUR SOCIAL MOBILITY PLAN Listening

Research

First and foremost, our social mobility action plan will be a plan about people. The people within our company and the people in local communities that we deliver services.

Our Social Mobility evaluation will allow us to understand changes in outcomes for people in our communities.

We also want it to be a plan by people, both our own people here at Severn Trent and those around us in those local communities.

We have drawn on research around social mobility to consider the priorities for our action plan and have planned initial engagement with colleagues throughout the business to deliver on what social mobility means to them.

We want young people in our business and our communities to have positive role models, drawn from the opportunities we offer within our business, but also the people that are currently leading in those roles, enabling positive role models for young people across The Midlands.

The involvement of our people will take place alongside a commitment to putting the ideas and aspirations of the communities we serve at the centre of the plan.

We will continue to work with the Social Mobility Pledge, voluntary and community groups, as well as business organisations to consistently evaluate, and innovate our approach.

We will take ownership of improving our communities, researching indications of progress for our Action Plan and how it is changing people’s outcomes, their resilience, wellbeing and optimism about their future.

Representation

Action

Our people’s views will be heard at key meetings where the Social Mobility Action Plan is developed.

Based on our Best Practice Insight Report and our ‘Skills Tap’ Framework, we will next publish a clear and concise Social Mobility Action Plan.

Inspired by the leadership of some of young people already in this work, we will ask young people to step forward to get involved in the creation and delivery of our Action Place.

We will work with young people and those of all ages in our business who are committed to improving social mobility in our communities. They will be chosen because they demonstrate a strong commitment and have inspirational stories to tell – stories which bring alive the aims of our Action Plan - to change peoples lives for the better.

Our plan will aim to break down the barriers that hold people back at every stage in their life. Our Action Plan will be about putting social mobility at the heart of what we do.

It will outline how we will target our efforts and resources at our people and places that need it most. We will be transparent about what our Social Action Plan is doing. We will also create opportunities for our people to contribute their own ideas and become involved.

OUR LOCAL PLAN FOR THE MIDLANDS Local Opportunities

Social Mobility Life Cycle

Severn Trent is a strong example of businesses are leading social mobility across the country. The local set up of the business makes it an anchor to local people in Coventry and across The Midlands, and makes it a key example of how important businesses are to local communities across the country.

Severn Trent knows that social mobility can’t be something that we focus on just for those who are soon to be leaving school. It’s an ongoing process. That’s why at the heart of Severn Trent’s business strategy lies the wellbeing of local communities and local people across The Midlands.

Unlocked by: Apprenticeships

Severn Trent’s apprenticeship scheme allows individuals across The Midlands, and the wider country, to join the next generation of operational specialists in their engineering, financial, digital, humans resources and legal teams.

Through training, mentoring and allowing young people to learn and achieve qualifications and earn; while training to become future leaders at Severn Trent, the programme is a clear example of how local apprenticeships are a crucial factor in enabling social mobility.

Work Experience & Insights Ensure that every young person in The Midlands area knows what opportunities are out there, such as at Severn Trent, and allow the spark of aspiration to change the life course of young people.

It is a reality that women and people from poorer backgrounds currently don’t have access to opportunities to make the most of their talents in STEM. This is a problem in two ways. Firstly, it’s a moral problem.

Secondly, it narrows the pool of talent. If opportunities in STEM are limited to mainly white men in the population, there is a limit on the human capital of the country. So for fairness and for the economic benefits, it’s important that companies tackle this.

Severn Trent has long been addressing this, and the company knows that often, waiting until after school is too late. That’s why the company has comprehensive engagement programmes and partnerships with schools and colleges to promote STEM careers among the younger demographic, including sharing teaching and subject skills for teachers to improve development opportunities and increasing teacher capacity.

OUR AMBITIONS We strive to make a positive long-term impact. As well as delivering for our customers, this means creating an inclusive culture for our people and contributing to wider society.

We operate ethically, encourage good practices among the companies we invest in, and support our local communities. Our Social Mobility Action Plan will focus on three areas where improvement will help people most to overcome the barriers that hold them back.

We will bring together communities and our people in support of this work. Our plan has key ambitions, but we expect this plan to develop to reflect our achievements

and priorities. We have focused on the key ambitions and activities we think we need to get right enable people’s full talents to be utilised and boost social mobility.

1) We will use our strength as a strong

regional business, to reach furthest, to those who most need help to unlock their talent.

2) We will tackle the issues that hold people

back and create barriers to social mobility in our communities .

We will invest for the future, helping our people be more productive, simplifying our ways of working and ensure talent can flow to the top.

3)