Bridges to the future
Bridges to the future
At the Bridge Group, we have always chosen action over commentary – putting evidence before headlines, and using it to drive meaningful change. But as I step down after a decade as CEO, I find myself reflecting not just on the journey we’ve taken, but on the moment we find ourselves in. This is a time of significant challenge – but also of profound possibility.
A clear purpose
When we founded the Bridge Group, our mission was simple but ambitious. We wanted to generate and apply new evidence to advance social equality.
From our first meeting on London Bridge, we committed to working across sectors and disciplines to find practical, evidence-based solutions. Much has changed since then, but one belief has remained constant: that social inequality is not inevitable. It can be dismantled through thoughtful policy, determined leadership, and decisions grounded in insight and integrity.
One of the first organisations to believe in us was the Google Foundation. Not long after we launched, they sent a letter to my home in Yorkshire with a cheque to support our work. Enclosed was a handwritten note that simply said: “We believe in what you are doing. The world needs more Bridge Group.” That early gesture of belief has stayed with me. And those words have never felt more important.
Clear priorities
Too often, social equality is treated as something to support if time and budgets allow. But the greatest lesson from my time at the Bridge Group is that growing social inequality is not just unjust – it is the root cause of many of the most urgent challenges facing society today.
In a world more connected by technology yet increasingly divided by experience and perspective, social equality is no longer just a question of fairness. It has the power to bind fragmented communities, drive innovation, and build resilience.
We have known this for decades. Yet the stakes are rising.
Amid shifting political priorities and the temptation to polarise, it is easy to lose sight of the values that will ultimately unite us and build positive communities. After all, aren't the principles of social mobility – that circumstances of birth should not dictate adult outcomes – difficult to admonish from any political perspective?
Clear action
Over the past fifteen years, the Bridge Group has partnered with universities, global companies, broadcasters, and public sector leaders – all united by a commitment to rigorous evidence and practical action.
In our early years, we helped the BBC and the Civil Service lead the way in measuring socio-economic background across their workforces. We partnered with KPMG and Slaughter and May to develop pioneering frameworks for action, and helped sectors like technology and real estate begin serious conversations about socio-economic diversity. We have collaborated with partner organisations, including Progress Together in financial services; and with the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Foundation to support access and success among students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Throughout, I hope our work has been defined by credibility and by impact. Senior leaders and frontline teams have trusted us – not because we told them what they wanted to hear, but because we worked alongside them, challenging when necessary, and remaining focused on practical change.
Looking ahead with confidence
There is much to celebrate, but we must also recognise that many indicators of UK social mobility are in decline for the first time in a generation. Our role must remain the same – not to criticise from the sidelines, but to be trusted partners in developing new evidence and fresh solutions.
I hand over to our new CEO, Jenny, with complete confidence. She brings huge experience, clarity, and a sharp understanding of the landscape we work in.
The Bridge Group has always been a collective effort – a network of brilliant colleagues, partners, researchers and advocates. I’m excited to continue championing social equality through the Bridge Group, and through my work as a consultant and with More Partnership, where I advise global organisations on how philanthropy can be a powerful driver of social change.
The Bridge Group exists because opportunity should be earned, not inherited – and because evidence, when used well, can build a world where more people realise their potential. It has been one of the great joys of my life to play a central role in founding and leading this organisation, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who has collaborated and contributed along the way.
Most of all, I look ahead with real excitement to everything still to come.
“The world needs more Bridge Group!”
Nik Miller
In June 2015, the Bridge Group registered as a charity and became a non-profit consultancy dedicated to using independent research as a catalyst for evidence-based social change. We are celebrating our tenth anniversary throughout 2025. Find out more.