Embedding socio-economic insight: opportunities to further enhance board performance
Embedding socio-economic insight: opportunities to further enhance board performance
In partnership with KPMG Board Leadership Centre, the Bridge Group has published new research exploring how boards understand socio-economic background (SEB), what motivates or inhibits action, and what practical steps can support meaningful action.
While evidence regarding the impact of SEB on workforce progression has grown, it remains largely unexplored in the boardroom. This gap represents a major missed opportunity that risks future board performance.
The report brings together a full review of all FTSE 100 annual reports (in September 2025); in-depth interviews with Chairs, Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) and survey responses from nearly 50 NEDs; analysis of the wider research and policy landscape; and practical guidance on how boards can frame and measure SEB more effectively.
The research reveals five key insights:
Boards have different motivations to focus on SEB and socio-economic inclusion.
There are language and definition barriers at board level, but these can be addressed.
Workforce-level insights and practice are driving competitive advantage.
Board focus has not kept pace with workforce practice.
External expectations are intensifying.
To equip boards with practical actions we offer a proportionate framework for directors to adopt now:
Foundational: Place SEB on the nominations committee agenda and use workforce directors to surface existing organisational insights.
Strengthening: Integrate SEB into board skills matrices and adopt simple, low-intrusion indicators to understand the board's profile.
Sustaining: Conduct socio-economic inclusion audit of appointment processes and integrate SEB into board inductions and annual evaluations.