This is the second consecutive year that Enterprise has been ranked as one of the top 10 employers on the Social Mobility Employer Index, a list of the UK’s top 50 employers for social mobility, compiled by the Social Mobility Foundation and the City of London Corporation.
With more than 470 locations and 5,000 employees across the UK, Enterprise has been recognised for working to ensure that it is accessing, nurturing and progressing talent from all backgrounds.
The index, which is believed to be the first of its kind globally, recognises the top UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace.
Ashley Hever, Talent Acquisition Director at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, said: “As we have hundreds of locations in very diverse parts of the UK, it’s imperative that our workforce reflects the communities that we serve. It’s equally important that everyone has the opportunity to thrive at Enterprise and has the support to progress their careers as far as they can. We recruit and promote solely on merit and performance, rather than on university attended or subject studied, and it is this focus on inclusion that makes our company a place that is welcoming to all. A candidate’s background will never be a barrier to achieving their full potential at Enterprise.”
In the assessors’ report, Enterprise was recognised for its outreach work at schools with above average levels of free school meals and lower levels of attainment. The company was also particularly praised for having no minimum grade requirements for any of its roles and measuring progression and retention to ensure there are no barriers for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Providing opportunities to the broadest possible talent pool to foster social mobility is a long-term strategy at Enterprise. This has resulted in many people from less advantaged backgrounds reaching senior positions. For example, 65% of Enterprise managers are first generation graduates.
In the past 12 months, Enterprise has recruited from 151 different institutions for its graduate and internship programmes, with 86% of hires from non-Russell Group universities. Its employee base is deliberately recruited from all areas where branches are based.
The company also provides a growing apprenticeship programme that offers an accessible route into the business for non-graduates with ongoing career progression opportunities.
Enterprise also works with external organisations, such as Bridge Builders and Girls Out Loud, to improve social mobility and employability for younger people from low income backgrounds.
Being named as a Top 10 Employer in the Social Mobility Index shows just how much Enterprise is really committed to being an inclusive place to work, which judges people only on their talent and their willingness to do well in the company. This way of thinking can be traced back to our Founding Values, and have been part of the Enterprise way since we were founded in 1957.
Interested in being part of a welcoming, award-winning business? Search and apply for one of our roles based in any one of our 470 branches across the UK.
