The Purpose Coalition is made up of organisations who are committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity.

We believe all organisations should, and can do more to break down those barriers to opportunity in the UK.

Our cross-party work helps businesses and organisations to do more, share best practice, and develop new solutions for improving the role they can play for their customers, colleagues and local communities. We work with organisations to put in place purpose-driven strategies and impactful initiatives that boost social mobility and spread opportunity. View our Purpose Goals architecture here and find out about our Purpose Lab here.

The Purpose Coalition includes some of Britain’s biggest organisations, including UK Power Networks, bp, Sodexo UK&I, Co-op Group, Travelodge, the BBC, Centrica, The Wise Group, Pertemps, Merlin Entertainments, Reed and E.ON.

Our Purpose Lab initiative is boosting the potential of students from universities and colleges by giving them real world business experience, bridging the gap between education and industry, delivering real student impact. 

Our Commission on Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity - part of the Purpose Coalition - is shaping the role businesses and organisations can play as responsible parts of society committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity for their customers, colleagues and communities.

The Breaking Down Barriers to Law project brought together leading regional law firms to share best practice and maximise community impact across the UK, ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can access careers in the legal sector.

The Purpose Coalition is now working with accountancy companies to break down access barriers in a career that is often similarly hard to break into.

NEW MPS BACK OUR WORK TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS

EXPLORE THE PURPOSE GOALS

Our framework that we developed to measure and track the work of organisations are doing to break down barriers to opportunity.

The Purpose Coalition is chaired by Rt Hon Justine Greening, the UK’s former Secretary of State for Education, Transport and International Development. Justine is especially passionate about social mobility and opportunity for young people.

The Purpose Coalition’s Breaking Down Barriers Commission is led by Purpose Coalition Engagement Director Nick Forbes CBE, former leader of Newcastle City Council and Member of Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet. Nick has a particular interest in place and working in partnership to tackle Britain’s social challenges.

The work of The Purpose Coalition is also supported by Rt Hon Anne Milton who is an Engagement Director of The Purpose Coalition. Anne is the former Minister for Apprenticeships and Health Minister and leads on various issues and projects especially around skills and wellbeing.

Lord Walney is an Engagement Director of the Purpose Coaltion. In this role Lord Walney chairs or co-chairs various Purpose Coalition events, projects and work streams - all in his role as an Engagement Director of the Purpose Coalition. Lord Walney was a former No 10 Advisor to Gordon Brown and Labour Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness.