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Mind the Class Gap: Understanding the value of socioeconomic diversity in creative workplaces

Did you know just 16% of people in the UK in creative jobs are from working-class backgrounds?

Socioeconomic diversity is an important topic, but one many businesses and hiring managers can easily overlook. Because socioeconomic background isn't a protected characteristic, employers forget class as part of their DE&I strategies and don't understand why it's an important area to invest time in.

But with over a third of the UK being from working-class backgrounds, it's not something that should be ignored.

Join us to learn more about the class gap in the creative industries and how including socioeconomic diversity in your organisation can support your business, your work and your staff.

What the session will cover

  • An introduction to socioeconomic diversity

  • The benefits of including socioeconomic diversity in your business

  • How socioeconomic diversity supports wider DE&I and business goals

  • How to bring socioeconomic diversity into your business, with case studies

  • Overcoming the challenges of implementing DE&I strategies

  • Q&A

Speakers

Natasha Khan, Acting Managing Director, Creative Mentor Network

Using her experience in the education and creative sectors, Natasha's firsthand experience of working with young people and the creative industries gives her a unique insight into the barriers and opportunities around socioeconomic diversity. Leading the charity's programmes and impact, Natasha understands not only the problems but the solutions that can help solve these to benefit young creatives and businesses who are looking to make positive change in their organisation.

Paula Kemp, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, The Social Mobility Commission

In her role, Paula works across multiple sectors to create more inclusive and diverse socio-economic workforces, to support The Social Mobility Commission's work to see a UK where the circumstances of one’s birth do not determine outcomes in life. She joined the Commission from Santander, where she was Diversity and Inclusion Manager, leading their participation in the research ‘Who gets ahead and how?’, resulting in a Government-backed Taskforce to improve socio-economic diversity at senior levels in financial and professional services. She is also an Advisory Board member on UCL’s Research into Inequalities in Access to Elite Occupations.

Who should attend?

This event is ideal for HR and People teams, DE&I professionals, hiring managers, heads of departments interested in growing and supporting diverse teams in their organisation, and employees interested in DE&I, mentoring and how they can become advocates for socioeconomic diversity in the creative workplace.

Our focus will be on the creative industries, which include advertising, architecture, the art and antique market, crafts, design, designer fashion, film and video, interactive leisure software, music, the performing arts, publishing, software and computer games, and television and radio.