Petal & Co. has supported Socially Mobile to meet its 2025 funding target by sponsoring one of 25 places on its education programme.
The Community Interest Company was launched in 2021 to support and inspire PR practitioners from lower socio-economic backgrounds and other under-represented groups to maximise their potential.
Its ten-week online executive education course offers a fully funded learning experience designed to move practitioners from a tactical to a strategic role. The programme’s ultimate aim is to create a more representative and diverse leadership demographic in the industry.
Petal & Co. made the donation following Socially Mobile’s call out to industry via PR Week to sponsor 25 places to support the programme over the next 12 months.
Jess Wilkinson, Petal & Co. founder said: “Businesses benefit from attracting a wide mix of voices, life experiences and viewpoints. In PR, this diversity allows us to create work that authentically connects with all audiences – so marginalising any groups only serves to weaken the discipline.
“Despite this, PR is not a not a diverse and inclusive industry, particularly at senior levels. Today’s PR workforce doesn’t reflect the organisations or society that we live and work in, with a quarter of practitioners having attended fee-paying schools and 87% coming from a white ethnic background.”
“Socially Mobile is a much-needed initiative working hard to redress the balance and showcase and empower the talent the industry so desperately needs at senior levels. We’re proud to be able to support this mission in a small way and look forward to continuing to work with the organisation.”
Sarah Waddington CBE, co-founder of Socially Mobile, added: “We’re grateful for the industry responding to the challenge thrown down via PRWeek of supporting Socially Mobile.
“In addition to the financial commitment, sponsors play an important community role in supporting student masterclasses and signposting graduates to management opportunities.”
More than 100 students have already graduated from Socially Mobile course with a certificate in leadership communication. To learn more about the organisation and its mission, visit: https://www.sociallymobile.org.uk/
