Bridge Group
Bridge Group is an independent UK research charity producing commissioned and consortium-funded research on socio-economic inclusion, serving employers, universities, charities and outreach providers with SEB data analysis, sector reports and practical guidance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bridge Group does
Bridge Group is an independent research charity registered in the United Kingdom in June 2015 (with origins in a 2009 volunteer initiative), focused on socio-economic inclusion in education and employment. Its core offering is bespoke commissioned research and advisory work for employers, charities, universities and outreach providers, grounded in socio-economic background (SEB) data collection, qualitative interviewing and evidence-based recommendations. Supporting products include free practical-guidance webinars, sector research reports (financial services, legal, real estate, retail/logistics, film exhibition, creative industries), and joint publications such as the 'Levelling the playing field' class pay gap guide produced with the Social Mobility Foundation. Technology consists of research methodologies and data analysis tooling rather than a software platform; the principal proprietary asset is a longitudinal dataset covering 180 million data points, 2,000+ interviews, and a financial services consortium dataset of 210,000+ employees across 40 firms (via Progress Together).
The business model is a hybrid of commissioned research and advisory fees, grants/donations from individuals, foundations and employers, and consortium-funded sector studies. Distribution is direct: enterprise clients commission Bridge Group directly, supplemented by free webinars and downloadable resources that act as a top-of-funnel channel. In April 2026, Bridge Group formalised a tiered institutional funding model with three inaugural Lead Partners (KPMG UK, Morgan Stanley, Slaughter and May) and a new Advisory Board, replacing what was previously a more diffuse supporter base. Operating geographies are United Kingdom-only. The charity holds Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications, GDPR-compliant data practices, and was accredited as a Living Wage Employer in June 2025.
Bridge Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bridge Group
- Legal name
- Bridge Group
- Website
- https://thebridgegroup.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Bridge Group is an independent UK research charity producing commissioned and consortium-funded research on socio-economic inclusion, serving employers, universities, charities and outreach providers with SEB data analysis, sector reports and practical guidance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bridge Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social mobility and socio-economic inclusion research
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
Keywords
Where Bridge Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bridge Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Research commissions and consultancy fees: Working with organisations across sectors including employers, charities, universities and outreach providers on commissioned research projects and advisory work
- Donations and grants: Funding from individuals, foundations and employers to support independent research into broader issues of socio-economic inclusion
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Bridge Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bridge Group is an independent UK research charity that delivers commissioned socio-economic inclusion research, data analysis and evidence-led advisory services to employers, charities, universities and outreach providers. It complements paid research commissions with free practical-guidance webinars, joint employer toolkits (e.g., the class pay gap guide with the Social Mobility Foundation), and sector-specific research reports covering financial services, law, real estate, retail/logistics and film exhibition.
Product overview
Bridge Group is an independent research charity offering a portfolio of research consultancy services focused on socio-economic inclusion. Their core offering consists of bespoke research and advisory services delivered to employers, charities, universities and outreach providers. Supporting services include practical guidance webinars on collecting and using socio-economic background data, sector-specific research reports on topics including law, financial services, real estate, retail/logistics and film exhibition, and an employer toolkit for closing pay gaps. The portfolio is delivered through collaborative partnerships with organisations such as the Social Mobility Foundation, Independent Cinema Office, Progress Together, and The Sutton Trust, alongside direct client engagements. The organisation also holds Living Wage Employer accreditation reflecting internal practices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research and Advisory Services Independent research consultancy delivering bespoke commissioned research projects, data analysis and evidence-led advisory services to employers, charities, universities and outreach providers on socio-economic inclusion, covering workforce diversity, board oversight, programme evaluation and target setting.
- Practical Guidance Webinars Series of free online webinars offering practical guidance to organisations on collecting socio-economic background data, reporting, evaluation and translating findings into action; typically 40-45 minute sessions aimed at employers new to socio-economic measurement.
- Levelling the Playing Field (Class Pay Gap Guide) Free practical guide produced with the Social Mobility Foundation to help organisations calculate their socio-economic pay gap, set meaningful targets for socio-economic diversity and drive change, following established gender pay gap reporting practices adapted for socio-economic background.
- Moving Up or Moving On? Report Sector research report examining how logistics and retail employers can contribute to social mobility in the UK, with recommendations for improving socio-economic diversity at senior levels.
- Performance, not Privilege (Financial Services Data Report) Data report analysing socio-economic representation and progression across 210,000+ employees at 40 UK financial services firms, published in partnership with Progress Together and released at the Bank of England.
- Effective Practices in Inclusion in Legal Sector Report identifying effective practices to enhance socio-economic inclusion within the legal sector, from early careers through to partner level, produced with a consortium of eight leading UK law firms.
- Pathways to Progress Report Independent evaluation of the medium to long-term impact of The Sutton Trust's Pathways to Banking and Finance programme supporting students from less advantaged backgrounds into banking and finance careers, with Bank of England, Deutsche Bank and PwC as employer partners.
- UK Film Exhibition Sector 2026 Workplace Survey Workplace survey and report on socio-economic composition and working conditions in UK film exhibition, conducted in partnership with the Independent Cinema Office with BFI National Lottery funding support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Four-fold increase in success rate of applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds in Civil Service Fast Stream following Bridge Group evaluation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Bridge Group
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bridge Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Bridge Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Independent Cinema Office (ICO)coreCollaborative partner for UK Film Exhibition Sector 2026 Workplace Survey. ICO has over 20 years' experience in independent film exhibition sector. Survey supported by BFI National Lottery funding.
- Advisory Board (cross-sector leaders)coreNew Advisory Board comprising industry experts, socio-economic inclusion advocates and esteemed academics to guide strategic direction.
- KPMG UKcoreOne of three inaugural Lead Partners. Commissioned research on socio-economic inclusion in the boardroom (March 2026 report with KPMG Board Leadership Centre).
- Morgan StanleycoreOne of three inaugural Lead Partners. Supports Bridge Group's mission to promote socio-economic inclusion.
- Slaughter and MaycoreOne of three inaugural Lead Partners. First major law firm to commit to social mobility targets (25% low SEB in total workforce by 2033). Hosted 10th anniversary celebration event. Former Managing Partner Deborah Finkler serves as trustee.
- The Sutton TrustcoreCommissioned Bridge Group to evaluate Pathways to Banking and Finance programme. Partners include Bank of England, Deutsche Bank, and PwC. Programme supports students from less advantaged backgrounds.
- Eight law firm consortiumcoreConsortium of eight leading law firms commissioned Bridge Group to identify effective practices to enhance socio-economic inclusion from early careers to partner level.
- JLL FoundationminorSponsored Bridge Group research on diversity and inclusion in real estate sector.
- Progress TogethercoreData partner for largest dataset on class and careers in UK financial services. Consortium of 40 member firms. Research released at Bank of England. Bridge Group analysis covers over 210,000 employees.
- The Brilliant ClubminorResearch collaboration on undergraduate student experience exploring connection between academic skills, sense of belonging, and financial pressures.
- Social Mobility FoundationcoreJoint practical guide 'Levelling the playing field' for calculating socio-economic pay gap. Supported by Co-op, KPMG UK, PwC UK, Teach First and Clifford Chance. Bridge Group evaluated Aspiring Professionals Programme.
- Amazon UKminorCommissioned Bridge Group to research how retail and logistics sectors can contribute to social mobility. Amazon UK supported pioneering report 'Moving Up or Moving On?'.
- City of London Socio-Economic Diversity TaskforcecoreBridge Group research led to the creation of this taskforce to drive sector change in financial services.
- Inc ArtsminorCollaborated on most ambitious survey on diversity and inclusion in arts sector to date.
- Jerwood ArtsminorPreviously collaborated on toolkit for Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries 2017-19.
- Social Mobility CommissioncoreCreated first cross-industry employer toolkit setting standards for socio-economic inclusion practices.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bridge Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Sutton Trust: Pioneering UK education charity focused on social mobility; Bridge Group was commissioned by the Sutton Trust to evaluate the Pathways to Banking and Finance programme, evidencing direct peer collaboration on socio-economic research.
- Social Mobility Foundation: UK charity running the Aspiring Professionals Programme and other social-mobility programmes; Bridge Group has co-published the class pay gap guide and evaluated the Aspiring Professionals Programme, making it a directly comparable mission-aligned peer.
- Social Mobility Commission: UK government advisory body on social mobility; Bridge Group co-developed the first cross-industry employer toolkit with the Commission, making it a mission-aligned peer in policy translation and practice guidance.
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation: UK research and policy charity focused on poverty and socio-economic disadvantage; comparable as a UK-based evidence-led research charity addressing social and economic inequality.
- Impetus: UK charity that supports disadvantaged young people into education and employment; Bridge Group has worked with Impetus (Sam Fraine serves as trustee) and both operate as research-and-eval charities tackling socio-economic outcomes.
Broad incumbents
- King's Trust (formerly Prince's Trust): Large UK charity supporting disadvantaged young people into education, training and work; broader scale and services than Bridge Group but overlapping mission on socio-economic progression into employment.
- Nesta: UK innovation foundation running programmes on inclusive economy and future of work; comparable as an evidence-led charity producing research and practical tools addressing socio-economic outcomes.
- Resolution Foundation: UK think tank focused on living standards and inequality; broader macro-economic lens but overlapping audience of employers, policymakers and researchers interested in socio-economic mobility.
Emerging players
- Centre for Progressive Policy: UK think tank producing research on inclusive growth and social mobility in regions; comparable in research-driven, evidence-to-policy approach for socio-economic outcomes.
- Bright Network: UK graduate access and diversity recruitment platform; comparable employer-facing market intervention on socio-economic access to professional careers, though operating a marketplace rather than research model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bridge Group social profiles
Digital presenceBridge Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Bridge Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bridge Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Bridge Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bridge Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bridge Group
What does Bridge Group do?
Bridge Group is an independent UK research charity that delivers commissioned socio-economic inclusion research, data analysis and evidence-led advisory services to employers, charities, universities and outreach providers. It complements paid research commissions with free practical-guidance webinars, joint employer toolkits (e.g., the class pay gap guide with the Social Mobility Foundation), and sector-specific research reports covering financial services, law, real estate, retail/logistics and film exhibition.
Is Bridge Group a public or private company?
Bridge Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Bridge Group founded?
Bridge Group was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bridge Group based?
Bridge Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Bridge Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Research commissions and consultancy fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and grants.
Who are Bridge Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Sutton Trust, Social Mobility Foundation, Social Mobility Commission, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Impetus. Broad incumbents are King's Trust (formerly Prince's Trust), Nesta and Resolution Foundation. Emerging players are Centre for Progressive Policy and Bright Network.
Does Bridge Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bridge Group.
What industry is Bridge Group in?
Bridge Group's product category is Social mobility and socio-economic inclusion research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8700.