Social Mobility in Property & Construction
- Jun 9
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 10
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What is this blog about?
In this week's video blog, Property Elite's Abigail Blumzon hosts Katie Corbett and Karl Brown in a discussion about social mobility and the property & construction industry. The written blog below summarises the discussion - please don't forget to watch the full conversation back, as it is full of brilliant insights!
Understanding social mobility is not merely an exercise in corporate social responsibility, it is a requirement embedded within your mandatory competencies, including Inclusive Environments and Ethics, Rules of Conduct and Professionalism.
Katie is a Social Value & EDI Manager at Bray & Slaughter, as well as being the Women in Property South West DEI Champion and holding a MSc in Equality & Human Rights.
In her own words;
‘The property and construction industry offers a wide range of careers, but that’s not always visible to all young people. Employer engagement is key to changing that through connecting young people to workplaces and showing them the range of careers available and the pathways into them. At the same time, inclusive practices are needed so people not only enter the industry but stay and build long-term careers in it. This is why social value and organisations such as Women in Property are key to supporting both access into the industry and long-term inclusion within it’.
Karl is a Partner at Clarke Willmott, a Business Fellow at UWE, a Social Mobility Ambassador to the Law Society and the Chairperson of the Bristol Property Inclusion Commission.
The Commission consists of representatives from the Bristol property industry and supports the implementation of the Bristol Property Inclusion Charter. Karl founded and launched the Charter in November 2019 to be a vehicle to promote and drive diversity and inclusion in the Bristol property industry/sector.
Many thanks also go to Ytzen van der Werf, Programme Leader MSc Real Estate Finance & Investment at UWE Bristol, who helped to set up this insightful discussion. You can also check out our previous discussions on social value and DE&I in Part 1 and Part 2.
What is social mobility?
The UK Social Mobility Commission define social mobility as;
‘The link between a person’s occupation or income and the occupation or income of their parents. Where there is a strong link, there is a lower level of social mobility. Where there is a weak link, there is a higher level of social mobility. For example, if you have a professional occupation and your parents had a working-class occupation, you have experienced upward occupational mobility. If you have a high income and your parents had a low income, you have experienced upward income mobility’.
Thus, social mobility is defined by how an individual’s background, including their parents' occupation, upbringing and education, impacts their ability to progress and succeed in life.
For the property industry, addressing this is not just a moral issue. It has become a strategic requirement to ensure that the sector draws from the widest possible talent pool to remain competitive on a global stage.
Is there a business case for social mobility?
Karl emphasised that the best leadership and decision-making occur when boards and project teams possess a diverse range of perspectives and viewpoints. In an industry where managing risk and identifying opportunities are paramount, a homogenous workforce can be a liability.
By engaging with individuals from less privileged backgrounds, firms can recruit from a much wider talent pool, which is frequently overlooked. This is particularly critical during the current war for talent and industry-wide recruitment shortages. A workforce that mirrors society is better equipped to understand its end users. For example, this is pertinent when working on residential developments, where projects need to meet actual (rather than perceived) community needs.
What are some of the barriers to entry in the industry?
To increase social mobility, we need to acknowledge the barriers to entry - these are things that those from more privileged backgrounds often take for granted.
The panel identified a number of barriers, including:
Social capital - many young people rely on ‘who they know’ for career advice, CV reviews, and work experience. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often lack these pre-existing industry connections, making the path to entry significantly harder.
The ‘confidence gap’ - corporate environments can be intimidating. Candidates from privileged backgrounds are often more familiar with these settings through their social circles. Candidates from less privileged backgrounds may struggle with the ‘soft skills’ and confidence required to navigate corporate interviews and networking. They may also not have role models in the industry and thus the thought process of, ‘I could be just like you’.
Physical accessibility and transport: In cities like Bristol, young people may feel that city centre offices are physically and psychologically out of reach. Karl noted that transport costs are a major inhibitor for students trying to access work experience or attend industry events.
The financial safety net - Abigail shared her own experience of being able to take on unpaid or low-paid internships because she had a financial safety net and family support. For many, the inability to work for free or for low wages is a hard barrier that prevents them from gaining necessary early career experience.
Case Study: Bristol
Bristol serves as a stark example of what Karl referred to as a "city of two halves’. Despite its economic success, data from Bristol Works shows that approximately 5.7% of 16–18 year olds are not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
Katie pointed out a strong correlation between students eligible for free school meals and persistent school absenteeism. Often, these students are unaware of the vast array of careers available in the construction industry, such as site management or quantity surveying, and instead only view traditional trades like plumbing or electrics as viable career paths.
How can the industry tackle the social mobility problem?
The discussion moved from identifying problems to proposing concrete, actionable solutions for the industry, including firms and professionals.
1. Re-evaluate recruitment and work experience
Firms often simply accept the first work experience request that they receive from a ‘friend of a friend’. Instead, firms should actively reach out to schools in disadvantaged areas to offer opportunities to those who lack social capital.
2. Focussing on retention
Getting diverse talent through the door is only the first step. The industry then needs to ensure that these candidates stay and succeed - thus moving from ‘surviving to thriving’.
Key strategies to achieve this include:
Mentoring - providing mentors to help new recruits navigate the ‘unwritten rules’ of the corporate world, such as client networking.
Fair work allocation - ensuring that all recruits have equal opportunities to work on fee-earning roles and high-profile projects, which are essential for progression to leadership.
Inclusive social events - moving away from an alcohol-centric "pub culture" for staff events ensures that those from different religious or personal backgrounds feel included and valued.
Data-driven insights - firms should use anonymous diversity questionnaires to track social mobility metrics, such as free school meal eligibility and parental education history. As Abigail noted, you cannot manage or improve what you do not measure.
4. Leadership visibility
When leadership is vocal about their own personal commitments, such as leaving early for a school pickup, it creates a culture of openness that encourages others to balance their professional and personal lives without fear of exclusion.
How does social mobility fit into my RICS APC?
Understanding social mobility is not merely an exercise in corporate social responsibility, it is a requirement embedded within your mandatory competencies.
Demonstrating an understanding of these issues is essential for several areas of your RICS APC assessment:
1. Inclusive Environments
This competency requires surveyors to understand the diverse needs of all end-users. As Abigail noted, the property and construction industry plays a unique role in shaping how the built environment looks, operates and is used by the public. This covers everything from safety management and facade remediation to how we communicate with building occupants.
If the workforce lacks diversity of background, the industry risks ‘group think’ and may fail to understand the communication styles or specific challenges faced by different socioeconomic groups. A diverse team ensures that the buildings we design and manage are truly functional for the communities they serve.
2. Ethics, Rules of Conduct and Professional Practice
RICS members and RICS APC candidates are duty-bound by the Rules of Conduct to act with integrity and treat others with respect. Promoting social mobility is, therefore, an ethical imperative. It involves identifying and removing unfair barriers to entry and ensuring that the profession is accessible to anyone with the talent and drive to succeed, regardless of their starting point in life.
Conclusion
Meaningful progress in the next five years should look like the creation of a ‘virtuous circle’. This occurs when a diverse pool of talent reaches mid-level and senior positions, providing the representation necessary to inspire the next generation.
As Karl summarised, improving social mobility is fundamental to the success of ‘UK plc’ in an increasingly competitive global world. Abigail concluded that there should be ‘no corporate secrets’ when it comes to inclusion. By collaborating, sharing data and removing barriers, the property & construction industry can finally draw from 100% of the available talent pool. A better world for all?
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N.b. Nothing in this article constitutes legal, professional or financial advice.