The Lord Mayor’s Appeal partners with the Sompo Foundation to boost youth employment
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal has struck a new strategic partnership with the Sompo Foundation to help young people across the UK gain the skills, experience and connections needed to enter meaningful employment.
The collaboration will focus on expanding access to opportunities for young people facing barriers to work, with a particular emphasis on employability skills, practical experience and pathways into employment.
The partnership comes as businesses and policymakers continue to grapple with the challenge of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The Lord Mayor’s Appeal says the UK is home to around one million young people in this position.
Through the partnership, the two organisations will work to strengthen access to support and resources designed to help young people build the knowledge, confidence and experience required to progress into work.
The initiative also reflects a wider push by the City of London business community to play a greater role in tackling barriers to employment and improving social mobility.
Faith Frank, Executive Director of Sompo Foundation, said the organisation was “proud to support” The Lord Mayor’s Appeal and contribute to work that expands opportunities for young people who may not otherwise have access to the support, skills and pathways they need to thrive in the City of London and beyond.
“As Sompo continues to grow its business across the UK and London market, the Foundation plays an important role in ensuring that growth is accompanied by meaningful investment in the communities where we live and work,” she said.
Frank added that the partnership would support initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for young people while contributing to the resilience of the wider community.
The Sompo Foundation was established in 2023 as the philanthropic arm of Sompo International Holdings Ltd. (Sompo), the global property, casualty and specialty insurance and reinsurance provider. It supports social causes through strategic investment, coordinated charitable initiatives and targeted funding.
For Sompo, the partnership provides an opportunity to connect its expanding presence in London and the UK (re)insurance market with investment in the communities in which it operates.
David Johnston OBE, Chief Executive of The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, said the organisation was “delighted” to welcome The Sompo Foundation as a partner.
He said the partnership marked a new chapter for The Appeal, with a sharper focus on one of the UK’s “defining challenges”.
“By partnering with businesses committed to driving social change, we can help more young people develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to secure meaningful opportunities to develop and thrive,” Johnston said.
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal uses the convening power of the Lord Mayor and the City’s business community to address barriers to employment. Its work includes developing employability skills, providing access to work experience and connecting young people with employment opportunities.
The organisation’s focus on the NEET population comes against a backdrop of growing concern over young people’s transition from education into the labour market, particularly for those without established professional networks or access to workplace experience.
For City firms, such initiatives can also offer a route to widening recruitment pipelines and building a workforce drawn from a broader range of backgrounds.
The new partnership positions the Sompo Foundation alongside The Lord Mayor’s Appeal as it seeks to mobilise more businesses behind efforts to improve young people’s employment prospects.
The organisations said their shared objective was to build more inclusive communities by giving young people the support and practical opportunities needed to reach their potential.
For more information on The Lord Mayor’s Appeal visit thelordmayorsappeal.org
For more information on The Sompo Foundation visit sompo.com