How businesses play a crucial role in helping people from welfare into work – the Executive Summary
Read Two Million Jobs - the Executive Summary
This report seeks to connect the government's welcome plan to bring two million more people into the workforce over the coming parliament, with the practical reality of achieving that goal. Increasing the employment rate of the UK will only happen with the active support of businesses up and down the country, and by inculcating a business environment where they are able to thrive.
It is businesses and entrepreneurs that provide 80% of the jobs in our economy. They are the ones who will be creating most of these two million jobs. To achieve this objective, as well as needing a pool of skilled and motivated prospective employees, there also need to be employers creating high-quality, well-paid jobs for people to fill, which is why the government was right to emphasise the importance of economic growth and wealth creation in their manifesto.
In all four areas of the country which Two Million Jobs focused on, the local business community plays an important role in poverty alleviation and social mobility. That is the clear message from our foundational research project. Which is why the Jobs Foundation will now be advancing this important work in two ways.
In 2025, we want to spend more time examining the companies leading the way in getting people from welfare into work. Many businesses do this ordinarily, without giving it a second thought. Others have set up specific schemes to give people from less advantaged backgrounds a step up in life. We want to collate that best practice, so that other companies, both within our Business Council network and beyond, can learn from them. This will enable them to replicate these schemes without going through the process of trial and error.
In 2026, we want to set up an Accreditation Scheme, to recognise businesses who are shining examples of using jobs and training to better people's lives. This recognition will act as both an incentive for businesses to do even more and an encouragement for other businesses to get involved. We hope it will act as an accelerator to help the government in their objective of getting two million people into work, helping people thrive and boosting the country's prosperity.
Two Million Jobs: How businesses play a crucial role in helping people from welfare into work represents our foundational research, the first report in what will be a fruitful examination of the societal good that businesses do in the years to come. You can read the Executive Summary of Two Million Jobs, outlining the key findings of the report here: Two Million Jobs - the Executive Summary
We'd also love to have your feedback - thoughts on the report, any ideas on how we should take our research forward, and recommendations around other businesses we should connect with. Send your thoughts to info@thejobsfoundation.com.