Novartis UK announces charity partnerships to support social mobility commitments

London, 25^th April 2022 – Novartis UK has announced new partnerships with local charities to provide volunteering support as part of its annual community partnership day – aimed at improving social mobility across the UK. The company has partnered with Founders4Schools and Social Mobility Foundation and provided financial support to two new OnSide Youth Zones in White City (WEST Youth Zone) and Grimsby (Horizon Youth Zone).

Enabling social mobility and helping people across the country to realise their full potential, no matter their background or location, is a key commitment for Novartis UK. Bold partnerships are considered fundamental to making this possible. By collaborating with industry leading charities, the company is aiming to champion social mobility to deliver positive change across the UK.

Associates will be empowered to volunteer with these charities, with each associate allocated eight hours across the year. Associates will share their knowledge and expertise with young people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, offering a range of support including mentoring, career guidance, application support and CV workshops.

Amanda Stuart, Head of Communications and Engagement at Novartis UK, commented, “I am proud we are partnering with these brilliant charities, and I was honoured to recently meet them to discuss how we can be the best possible partner for progress in social mobility. I am determined be a champion for this important topic, having the difficult conversations and asking the tricky questions when necessary. I have strong hopes that we can help to encourage brilliant young people in the UK into a career within the Life Sciences where they might not have previously considered one.”

Sherry Coutu, Founder and Managing Director at Founders4School, noted, “We’re always looking to grow our base of our role models from companies such as Novartis, so this partnership is key to achieving our goals. In particular, partnering with Novartis is a great step in achieving our ambition of increasing the number of people going into STEM subjects.”

Sarah Atkinson, Chief Executive at Social Mobility Foundation, commented, “It’s important for us to help organisations have the difficult, open conversations about what social mobility is to drive positive change. We are delighted to work with Novartis UK so the company can be a social mobility champion across the whole sector.”

Kathryn Morley, Chief Executive at OnSide, said, “Social mobility is at the heart of what Youth Zones do across the country. Youth Zones play a transformative role in helping thousands of young people from diverse backgrounds achieve their full potential and defy social limitations. We’re so grateful for this support from Novartis to help us provide life-changing opportunities for even more young people, in two new areas – West London and Grimsby.”  

Novartis UK is committed to strengthening these bold partnerships during 2022 and beyond to deliver long-lasting progress within communities to ensure that no one has to wait for an extraordinary life.