RSA Insurance : Privilege is not a bad thing. It’s how you use it that matters

Social mobility is incredibly important but little discussed. Part of the problem is that it's difficult to talk about. Social mobility is not about questioning people's life choices or being critical of those who have a greater chance of achieving their goals. It is about giving talented people the opportunity to become a success.

In London, we hosted a session on social mobility, featuring Tim Campbell, the first winner of BBC's The Apprentice, Debs Barlow, Employment Director, Leadership Through Sport and Business, Laura Marcelli, Senior Associate, DLA Piper and Reggie Nelson, an institutional client service analyst at Legal & General Investment Management. For those who haven't heard Reggie's story, it's nothing short of inspirational.

Reggie was raised on a council estate by his mother following the death of his father. Striving to make his dreams a reality, Reggie searched the internet to find the wealthiest areas of London. Armed with a list of questions, Reggie made the trip to Gloucester Road in Kensington and Chelsea, where he began knocking doors and asking people for the secret of their success.

After getting some sage advice and a helping hand from Quintin Price, a senior manager of investment firm Blackrock, Reggie was able to earn a degree, win several internships, and land a job in the City.