The final SRAG Summit of 2025 takes place in Oxford, hosted by M Group Services - a Gold Charter Mark holder and long-standing member of the SRAG network.
We're bringing together employers, educators, and social value leaders to explore how social mobility is evolving - and how businesses can turn insight into action. Our venue is Oxford Brookes University's Harcourt Campus.
Across the day, delegates will hear from speakers tackling today’s most pressing social value questions:
-
How do we measure social mobility across generations?
-
What does progress look like for employers, not just individuals?
-
How can recruitment, training and community investment work together to deliver change that lasts?
The agenda blends research, lived experience, employer case studies, and practical workshops - all focused on turning inclusion into measurable impact.
Event Highlights
Opening and Charter Mark Presentations
Our chairperson, the Rt. Hon. Anne Milton, will hand the mic to M Group Services to introduce the summit. New Charter Mark achievements will be celebrated, recognising the employers who’ve advanced their social value impact this quarter, including Mitie, M Group Highways, RGIS and others.
Social Mobility in Focus – Keynote and Workshop
Led by Jo Whight, formerly of Nationwide, this interactive session explores how employers can better understand and measure social mobility within their organisations. Delegates will take part in table discussions designed to identify real examples of progress, barriers, and opportunity.
Evidence and Education – Dr Alex Blower
Dr Blower presents Boys’ Impact, an evidence-based approach to closing the attainment gap for young men eligible for Free School Meals. His research brings fresh perspective to the structural roots of disadvantage and the role of education in levelling outcomes.
The SRAG Charter Mark Workshop
Using a “Through the Ages” theme, delegates will take part in a practical exercise built around SRAG’s evolving Charter Mark framework. Each table receives a sealed envelope representing a demographic (such as NEET young people or individuals with disabilities) and collaborates to identify best practice in four areas: Attract, Retain, Develop, and Community Connection.
Dr Craig Corrigan, SRAG secretariat and PeoplePlus Social Value Solutions Manager, will lead a roving feedback session, drawing out common themes and employer examples.
Employer Case Study – G4S at Sizewell C
Jimmy Self and Monica Belle from G4S share the life-changing impact of social value work at Sizewell C, showing how recruitment at scale can remain human, inclusive and transformative.
Partner Showcase – Collaboration in Practice
The afternoon will bring together several of SRAG’s partners, including:
-
EIDA (Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse)
-
Bright Futures, supporting victims of modern slavery.
WhatImpact, providing matchmaking and volunteering tools to connect organisations with charities and social enterprises.
-
Nuneaton Signs, a leading example of inclusive employment in manufacturing.
-
Schools outreach and SEND initiatives, bridging education and employment pathways.
Each partner will present a focused insight: their message, their ask, and the practical takeaway for attendees.
Community and Connection with The Choir with No Name
To close the summit - and our year of summits - on an uplifting (and festive) note, we’ll be joined by The Choir with No Name, led on the day by Sally Debiage. The choir brings together people who’ve experienced homelessness, instability or isolation, offering a weekly space to build confidence, routine and community through singing. They performed at Standing Tall’s first national summit in Birmingham in October and were a real highlight.
Up to 50 singers are planning to join us in Oxford with a set of Christmas songs and carols. They’ll encourage people to sing along if they feel like it, but there’s no pressure at all - we intend it to be a relaxed, inclusive way to finish the year.
We’re really looking forward to sharing this. It’s a reminder that community itself can be the source of stability and progress, whether employment is part of someone’s journey or not.
The day will finish with closing reflections, gathering the gifts for M Group Services’ Christmas appeal for a local charity partner, Helen and Douglas Hospice for children and teenagers with life limiting conditions.
Why Attend
The Oxford Summit closes a year of growth for the SRAG network - from the first Ambassador-level Charter Marks to the national expansion of the Social Recruitment Covenant.
This final gathering of 2025 is an opportunity to:
-
Reflect on shared progress and lessons from across the UK.
-
Contribute to discussions shaping SRAG’s 2026 agenda
-
Connect with peers and partners advancing inclusion, employability, and social value.
As Craig Corrigan puts it:
“This summit is about getting under the surface of what social mobility really means - not just where people start from, but what needs to happen for them next.'
Event Details
Date: Thursday 4 December 2025
Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm
Venue: Oxford Brookes University's Harcourt Campus
Theme: Social Mobility Through the Generations
This event is close to capacity. A post-event summary and highlights will be published here later in December, with presentations available in the SRAG digital portal for members.
