LEADERS UNFILTERED: Q&A WITH SARAH ATKINSON, CEO OF THE SOCIAL MOBILITY FOUNDATION
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OPPORTUNITY SHOULD BE SHAPED BY TALENT, NOT BACKGROUND
Sarah Atkinson, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation, is our leader unfiltered this month.
The foundation unlocks potential for ambitious young people who face structural barriers in education and work because of their socio-economic background.
Harpswood is a supporter of the foundation and has worked pro bono on a number of its projects since 2022.
Q: What’s your current biggest challenge?
Ensuring that social mobility remains high on the agenda at a time when the labour market is changing rapidly and businesses are facing competing pressures. There’s a risk that widening inequality is becoming normalised. Our role is to show that widening access to opportunity isn’t a ‘nice to have’ - it’s fundamental to long-term success and resilience.
Q: What are you most excited about for the SMF right now?
We know that our work makes a huge difference - independent evaluation by the DWP shows that young people we've supported are more likely to be in work, and earn over £5000 a year more than their peers. As we celebrate our 20th birthday, I'm excited to work with the team to think about how we can scale our impact, supporting more young people and helping more employers rethink how they find and develop talent.
Q: What mistake are you glad you made?
I used to think that being the leader meant never showing uncertainty, in case it undermines the team's confidence in you. In reality some of the strongest relationships I've built - with colleagues, with funders and with the young people we work with - have come from being more open about what we are still learning. It creates more trust and collaboration, and encourages people to put their own ideas forward.
Q: What story about the SMF has landed best with the media, and why?
The stories that resonate most are the ones that centre the voices and experiences of young people. Last year our Unheard Voices research into the experiences of young people trying to enter the labour market showed the barriers that they're facing; we worked with some of our brilliant young campaigners to lead the story. Their advocacy shifts the narrative from abstract inequality to something human, urgent - and solvable.
I'm also very proud of the impact of our short film, Stay Down, with Michael Socha. Making a modern horror film to explain social mobility shouldn't work, but it did!
Q: What’s one book, podcast or article you think everyone should read?
Everyone should read “The Class Ceiling” by Sam Friedman & Daniel Laurison. It powerfully demonstrates how class background shapes career outcomes in many different industries, and it's engaging and highly readable - an essential text for anyone serious about fairness and talent.
I also think everyone should listen to 'The Rest Is Entertainment' podcast with Richard Osman and Marina Hyde. Nothing to do with social mobility, but I love their insights into the entertainment industry. Whether it's a deep dive into what makes for a successful TV game show or an argument about whether Citizen Kane or Paddington 2 is a better film, I'm here for it.
Q: Finish this sentence: My purpose is…
…to ensure that talent and ambition, not background, determine where a young person can go in life.
Q: One word you hope people use to describe you – and one word for the SMF?
Me: committed
SMF: life-changing