Read: bp commits to levelling up the UK

bp has committed to play a key role in levelling up the UK by taking a leading role on shaping a set of Levelling Up Goals.

The Levelling Up Goals, established this year by former Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening with input from businesses, universities and policymakers, is a framework designed to tackle the challenges facing the UK post Covid-19. There are 14 Goals ranging from Goal 1: Strong Foundations in Early Years; to Goal 14: Equality through Diversity and Inclusion.

The 14 Goals, launched earlier in 2021, aim to provide Britain’s first levelling up architecture to focus efforts on driving equality of opportunity at key life stages; and across different issues, with bp leading on Goal 13: Harnessing the Energy Transition

bp’s support for the Goals builds on its purpose of reimagining energy for people and our planet. It is specifically aligned with bp's strategic aims focused on improving people's lives -  including supporting a just transition, sustainable livelihoods and greater equity - both for its own people and for the communities in which it works across the UK and globally.

Levelling Up Goals is co-chaired by former Cabinet Minister, Rt Hon Justine Greening, who led the UK’s efforts in shaping the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as then Secretary of State for International Development.

The Levelling Up Goals now look to produce a similar approach, inspired by the SDGs, to address how outcomes can be improved throughout communities across the UK. 

bp’s executive president for people & culture, Kerry Dryburgh, will join as a Levelling Up Goal Commissioner, leading specifically on Goal 13: Harnessing the Energy Transition. The role of the Commissioners - for which there is one for each Goal - is to shape what levelling up means for that specific area and providing thought leadership as to how data can be used to make ‘levelling up’ measurable.

Kerry Dryburgh said: “I’m excited to be part of this journey – there is lots to do but together we can we create opportunities across the UK, improving people's lives and ensuring the energy transition is fair for everyone”

Justine Greening said: “It’s great to be working with bp on the Levelling Up Goals and fantastic to have Kerry Dryburgh leading the Goal on Harnessing the Energy Transition. Kerry is an inspirational leader in her field and has been at the heart of bp’s plans to transform itself to deliver its net zero ambition, putting its people and communities at the centre. And she is leading many of the companies’ impressive commitments to diversity and inclusion too. 

“People and planet are two sides of the same coin. bp has already shown it is leading on planet in its plan to reimagine energy and deliver Net Zero; and is leading on the people agenda too. It has a strong track record of delivering for local communities, including through the bp Educational Service. As the energy transition gathers pace, this work becomes ever more important as we require new skills to develop the innovation it demands

“The Levelling Up Goals give a clear architecture for purpose-led organisations to measure and articulate their purpose and impact. The challenge now is for businesses to recognise the wider role that they have to play in society and creating equality of opportunity as we recover from the pandemic."