Accessible by Design

Access to professional opportunity, structured for social mobility.

An Authentic Mission

Access to professional knowledge, networks, and opportunity is not evenly distributed. A young person who grows up on a council estate does not have the same access to professional pathways or business mentors as someone from a professional household.

Accessible by Design is SDC Group's social impact programme. It takes its name from our brand promise—executive quality, accessible by design—applying it to people as much as businesses.

Co-founded by Group CCO Chelsea Bradley-Carter and inspired directly by her personal story of growing up in a council house, the initiative turns SDC Group's social responsibility commitment into structured, measurable social action.

Key Framework Values

  • Authenticity First Rooted in lived experience, designed to solve structural opportunity gaps.
  • Direct Referral Pipeline Mentees who launch businesses flow directly into our startup support programme.
  • IRC Social Alignment Expresses the 5th Principle (Social Responsibility) of the Institute for Responsible Consulting.

Our Delivery Tracks

We split our efforts into two targeted, interconnected delivery pathways.

Track 01

Youth Mentorship

Structured professional exposure and business literacy coaching for young people aged 14–25 from underprivileged backgrounds (including council estate residency, free school meals recipients, care leavers, and first-generation careers).

Delivered directly by SDC Group division professionals to open up pathways into consulting, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Track 02

Entrepreneur Support

Mentorship and at-cost professional advisory services for early-stage entrepreneurs from similar underprivileged backgrounds who have a viable startup concept but lack access to professional support networks.

At-cost services remove all group markup margins, providing access to top-tier strategy, software, and technology consulting at raw staff-wage cost.

Our Measurement Framework

Social mobility requires structural tracking. We audit outcomes systematically to meet grant and funding compliance standards.

01. Reach

We track the annual number of youth mentees enrolled, entrepreneurs supported, total mentorship hours delivered, and geographic distribution across the UK.

02. Outcomes

Auditing youth employment or further education rates in professional sectors at 6 and 12 months, and early business survival and revenue benchmarks for supported startups.

03. Impact

Mapping the broader economic value generated: social mobility indicators (first-generation corporate hires, care leavers) and jobs created or preserved by supported founders.

Aligned Funding Pathways

We actively coordinate with institutional funders, trusts, and corporate CSR offices aligned with social mobility.

Vocational & Youth Funding

Targeting Vocational learning grants through the Ufi VocTech Trust and employer-led education via the Careers & Enterprise Company.

Vocational Grants

Social Impact Foundations

Partnering with The Prince's Trust (18–30 enterprise support) alongside bank foundations including Lloyds and Barclays.

Social Trusts

Corporate CSR & Philanthropy

Integrating corporate donations and workforce development funds, such as the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, to scale local impact.

Workforce Grants

Get Involved

Are you a school looking to connect, a funding partner looking to review our outcomes framework, or an entrepreneur from an underprivileged background seeking support? We would love to start a conversation.

Contact Our Team →