Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has congratulated Morrisons and foodservice organisation the Compass Group for signing up to his flagship scheme aimed at employing young people from all walks of life.
More than one hundred of Britain’s biggest companies and top professional groups have signed the Business Compact, committing them to making entry into their professions fairer.
Clegg said the businesses' decisions to join the scheme made him consider the project on a bigger scale.
"Today’s success makes me even more ambitious. This great news is just the beginning - I will be doing everything I can to bring even more businesses on board,” Clegg said.
Morrisons chief executive, Dalton Philips said:“We think this is a great idea. Business has an obligation to ensure Britain has the right skills. That’s why we work so hard to give our colleagues the skills they need. Our apprenticeships programme fuels their careers, allowing them to move up the ladder. It’s also why 95 per cent of our store managers began their careers in hourly paid positions - progressing all the way from shop floor to top floor.”
Ian Sarson, group managing director of Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “People are at the very heart of our business and we are dedicated to providing opportunities to people from all walks of life and equipping our employees with the skills and training they need to progress within this dynamic industry.
“Last year over 1,600 people achieved an apprenticeship within Compass and we have a range of development programmes matched to nationally recognised qualifications which enable people to grow and evolve within our business, providing them with real opportunities and a career for life.”
The Business Compact forms a key part of the deputy prime minister’s Social Mobility Strategy, launched in April 2011, which sets out the government’s determination to ensure every individual is free to achieve, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.
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