Fit for Purpose

This week Justine talks to Daniel Harrison, Chief Executive of True Potential

This week Justine talks to Nimko Ali OBE, a Somali-British social activist. Nimko is an Independent government Adviser for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls and is instrumental the global partnership to end FGM. Episode 37: Social activism with Nimko Ali OBE

This week Justine talks to Professor Helen Marshall, Vice Chancellor at the University of Salford. They discuss the work that Salford is doing to train and grow a skilled workforce in new and emerging sectors like e-gaming and also Helen’s personal journey to becoming Vice Chancellor.

This week Justine is joined by Amanda Fisher, The chief executive of Amey. Amanda trained at Sandhurst before being commissioned as an Army Officer. They discuss the work that Amey does to extend opportunities which can really be transformative.

This week Justine is joined by Suzanne Carrie, Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusivity at The University of the West of England. They talk about how Suzanne’s role can have real impact on social mobility and widening access to university.

This week Justine is joined by LBC’s Iain Dale, they talk about Ian’s life, his journey to being a Conservative parliamentary candidate and beyond as one of the country’s most respected political pundits.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by Donna Catley, Chief People Officer of Compass Group.They talk about the challenges that Compass faced at the beginning of this pandemic and how they have played an integral part of the Covid-19 response in the UK.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine speaks with Professor Jane Harrington, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich.They talk about why and how Jane's goal for Greenwich is to be the best modern university in the UK, and why that means being different from Oxford or Cambridge.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by Martin Rimmer, Chief People Officer of Cadent Gas.They talk about the programmes Cadent has to ensure that they stay ahead of the curve not just when it comes to levelling up and social mobility, but also green energy.

On today's episode of Fit for Purpose, Justine talks with Professor Nick Petford, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Northampton.They discuss how Nick's journey ended up with him running a university despite never initially even wanting to do a degree, as well as how that journey informs the work Northampton does to deliver real social impact in its communities.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by Vivienne McVey, the Chief Executive of Virgin Care.Justine and Vivienne talk about what it’s been like on the front line of the response to COVID-19, as well how the innovative civic health model Virgin Care employ is helping to create a levelled up Britain.

On today’s special episode of Fit for Purpose, Justine launches the Purpose Coalition.Joined by Alex Fleming of Adecco, they discuss what the Coalition is and why company purpose is increasingly important.More information about The Purpose Coalition can be found here:https://www.purpose-coalition.org/

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by Mark Power, the Academic Registrar and Chief Operating Officer of Liverpool John Moores University.They talk about how Liverpool John Moores works across the Irish Sea to create opportunities for young people in Northern Ireland, who in turn level up Northern Ireland upon graduation.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by Professor Peter John, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of West London.They discuss how UWL has become a career university, at the centre of connecting talent to opportunity, by working with employers to ensure students have the necessary skills and experience.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by three guests from London Metropolitan University: the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lynn Dobbs; the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Outcomes & Inclusion, Dr Zainab Khan; and the Director of London Engagement, Sophie Cloutterbuck.They discuss topics such as the university’s response to COVID, their efforts to ensure an inclusive curriculum, and why their graduates are increasingly values-driven.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by the Customer Experience Director of Northern Gas Networks, Eileen Brown.They talk about how being a gas distributer gives their business a unique ability to reach into millions of homes and improve lives and opportunities at the same time, and how the switch from natural gas to hydrogen can make energy in the UK much friendlier to our planet.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, Professor Graham Baldwin.Graham talks about the contribution UCLan makes to improving opportunities via tackling health inequalities, and gives his younger-self some advice.

This week on Fit for Purpose, Justine is joined by the Group HR Director of Barratt, Rob Tansey.Rob talks about the work that Barratt is doing to create opportunities in their communities now, why they’ll keep investing in those opportunities in the future, and their commitment to getting their business to net-zero.

This week, Justine talks with the Vice-Chancellor of Staffordshire University, Professor Liz Barnes.They talk about how Staffordshire University has adapted in light of COVID-19, and why a focus on courses such as computer science are preparing students for the economy of the future.

This week, Justine talks with Vice-Chancellor Nic Beech and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Learning & Innovation Andrea Dlaska of Middlesex University.They talk about why a Middlesex graduate might have extra value to employers, how the University has focussed on building those links, and why organisations benefit from diverse populations.

This week, Justine talks with the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, Kiran Trehan.They talks about why improving social mobility is a priority for York, why it should be for the Russell Group of universities, and where Kiran's passion for this agenda comes from.

This week, Justine talks with the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, Shirley Congdon.They talk about how Shirley became Bradford's first female Vice-Chancellor, and how the University is working with the Opportunity Area to level up its community.

This week, Justine talks with Hogan Lovells’s UK Managing Partner and Global Managing Partner for Diversity & Inclusion and Responsible Business, Susan Bright.Susan talks about her journey to the top of one of the world’s biggest law firms, and how Hogan Lovells are making law more accessible.

This week, Justine is joined by the Director of Sainsbury’s Brand, Judith Batchelar.Judith talks about how working with others during the coronavirus crisis kept Britain well-stocked and helped provide for key workers and vulnerable people.

This week, Justine is joined by the Customer Services and People Director of United Utilities.United Utilities is the largest listed water company in the UK, and Justine asks how they use their scale and reach to create opportunity in some of the most deprived places in the UK.

This week, Justine is joined by the Chief Executive of top law firm Shoosmiths, Simon Boss. Shoosmiths was the first company to work with the Pledge to create a bold action plan to make sure they are going the extra step in truly enabling social mobility where they operate. Justine and Simon talk about why that’s important, what obstacles people face, and of course, Simon’s advice to his past self.

This week Justine is joined by Brian Gilvary, former Chief Financial Officer at bp. They talk how levelling up Britain really relies on businesses understanding the opportunity gap and having a plan for how they can help close it.

This week Justine talks to Dominic Arnall from Just like us the schools LGBT+ charity. They talk School Diversity Week, coming out and where the LGBTQ+ movement goes next.

This week Justine talks to Professor Toby Wilkinson, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Lincoln. Toby is responsible for the university’s work with outside organisations including the Social Mobility Pledge. They talk lockdown, the effect that all of this is having on students and the work that the university has been doing to boost social mobility in Holbeach in Lincolnshire.

Justine talks to Lord Bird. Growing up in a London he credits the prison system with teaching him the basic skills of reading and writing. In 1991 he co-founded the Big Issue which has been a life changing support for our country’s most vulnerable and in 2018 we got together to create the Social Mobility Pledge. Still today his enthusiasm and passion for fighting injustices is as strong as ever. We talk about the current lockdown and how it offers the chance to turn a corner on homelessness.

Justine talks to ITV’s Paul Brand. Paul grew up in Bridgend and went to his local comprehensive which started a journey to the very top of his industry. Now as a lead political correspondent at ITV news he offers a unique insight into the current Coronavirus outbreak. We talk raising aspirations at a young age, being true to yourself and the power that being different has.

Justine talks to Sandra Wallace. She grew up in Birmingham, and set her sights on a career in law, a profession that’s harder than most to crack into and has struggled for a long time to be genuinely diverse in inclusive. She rose - so far - to be Managing Director of the UK and Europe in one of the world’s biggest law firms DLA Piper. Rated as one of the top 100 most influential black people in Britain in the Powerlist 2020 -  we talk Imposter syndrome, resilience, advice for her younger self.

Justine talks to North East based entrepreneur David Harrison about setting up the C-19 Business Pledge, the business response so far to Coronavirus and how True Potential are adapting to home working.