The final SRAG Summit of 2025 took place in Oxford, hosted by M Group. M Group Highways is now an Ambassador Charter Mark holder and is a long-standing member of the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group.
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.
This is a summary of our latest Summit.
Across the day, delegates heard from speakers tackling today’s most pressing social value questions:
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How do we measure social mobility across generations?
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What does progress look like for employers, not just individuals?
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How can recruitment, training and community investment work together to deliver change that lasts?
The agenda blended research, lived experience, employer case studies, and practical workshops - all focused on turning inclusion into measurable impact.
Event Highlights
Opening and Charter Mark Presentations
Chairperson, the Rt. Hon. Anne Milton, handed the mic to Charlie Green, Head of Social Value at M Group Highways, part of M Group, who introduced the summit and explained why M Group was proud to host. New Charter Mark achievements were celebrated, recognising the employers who’ve advanced their social value impact this quarter, including SRAG members who advanced to Ambassador level, Charter Mark awardees Mitie and M Group Highways, Silver Charter Mark holders RGIS, uplifted from Bronze level, and brand new Charter Mark recipients, Northern College with Bronze.
Social Mobility in Focus – Keynote and Workshop
Led by Jo Whight, formerly a senior Leader at Nationwide, this interactive session explored how employers can better understand and measure social mobility within their organisations. Jo shared her powerful story, and delegates reflected during table discussions designed to identify real examples of barriers to remove to promote access to opportunity and sustained progression.
The SRAG Charter Mark Workshop
Using a “Through the Ages” theme, delegates took part in a practical exercise built around SRAG’s evolving Charter Mark framework. Each table discussed a priority demographic (including NEET young people and individuals with disabilities) and collaborated to identify best practice in four areas: Attract, Retain, Develop, and Community Connection.
Dr Craig Corrigan, SRAG secretariat and PeoplePlus Social Value Solutions Manager, gathered feedback, drawing out common themes and employer examples, sharing the value of each group's detailed insight for the benefit of all 130+ attendees.
Employer Case Study – G4S at Sizewell C
Jimmy Self – joined by a panel of G4S colleagues with lived experience on the project – sat down with Rachel Richards, Operations Manager for Social Value Solutions at PeoplePlus, and Alexandra Robinson, from ANTZ UK, to explore the impact of partnership on one of the UK’s largest national infrastructure programmes.
G4S delivers a wide range of security and logistics services for Sizewell C, supporting safe and efficient site operations during the construction phase. The session highlighted how collaboration between G4S, PeoplePlus, ANTZ, Combat2Coffee and wider community partners is creating joined-up pathways into work.
Partner Showcase – Collaboration in Practice
We were also joined by a small group of new specialist partners who work across some of the most complex areas of social value.
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EIDA (Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse), on the impact of domestic abuse and how employers can respond safely
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whatimpact, providing matchmaking and volunteering tools to connect organisations with charities and social enterprises, and practical tools to measure and evidence social value activity across large organisations.
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Nuneaton Signs, a leading example of inclusive employment in manufacturing - more than half their workforce are disabled team members, proving what's possible with the right approach.
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The School Outreach Company, bridging education and employment pathways.
Each partner presented a focused insight: their message, their ask, and the practical takeaway for attendees.
ANTZ
An established and key SRAG and PeoplePlus partner, ANTZ offer specialist social value training designed to help employers build confident, accountable teams who understand how to embed social value in day-to-day decisions. Their practical approach supports organisations to strengthen delivery, improve reporting, and create long-term, measurable impact.
Charlie Green and Anne Milton in Conversation with Oxfordshire County Council
This engaging discussion featured Sean Rooney, Head of Service for High Maintenance at Oxfordshire County Council. M Group Highways have a large contract with OCC to deliver upgrades to critical routes in and around Oxford, and embedding social value in the contract was a key priority. This session provided brilliant challenges to every team pitching for public business - and highlighted the true value of social impact when its done well. Following the event, Sean Rooney said, "..more cross sector collaboration and making connections like this can only benefit us all." We couldn't agree more.
Community and Connection with The Choir with No Name
To close the summit - and the year of summits - on an uplifting (and festive) note, The Choir with No Name, led by Sally Debiage, performed a 20 minute set that moved the room to tears, to laughter and back again. Every choir member has experienced homelessness, instability or isolation, and being part of this gives them a weekly space to build confidence and routine in a community that gets who they are and what they've been through. Singing has been shown to support breathing-control, trigger the release of endorphins (and other ‘feel-good’ neurochemicals), and contributes to improved mood and brain-health outcomes. The choir performed at SRAG partner, Standing Tall’s, first national summit in Birmingham in October and were a real highlight.
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 Did People Attend
The Oxford Summit closed a year of growth for the SRAG network - from the first Ambassador-level Charter Marks, to the launch of the Justice Recruitment Advocacy Group, to members winning multiple social value awards, to the national expansion of the Social Recruitment Covenant.
This final gathering of 2025 was an opportunity to:
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Reflect on shared progress and lessons from across the UK.
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Contribute to discussions shaping SRAG’s 2026 agenda
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Connect with peers and partners advancing inclusion, employability, and social value.
As Dr Craig Corrigan, SRAG Secretariat, put 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.'
