ICG INVESTS £3.75m IN NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND SOCIAL MOBILITY PROGRAMME

"This investment from ICG is a tremendous validation of our mission and work", says Andrew Fairbairn, founder of SEO London.

ICG, the global alternative asset manager, today announced a £3.75m commitment over three years to support innovative partnerships with three leading charities committed to improving educational opportunity and driving social mobility.

These new partnerships, with The Access Project, upReach and Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), support important socio-economic themes which are consistent with ICG’s purpose and values, and also align with the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy.

The partnerships extend the geographic reach of ICG’s social investment strategy from the UK into the US and continental Europe, and also across a wider spectrum of academic and career stages, focusing primarily on broadening opportunity for disadvantaged young people in accessing top universities; supporting them through university; and into inspiring early careers.

Antje Hensel-Roth, Chief People & External Affairs Officer, commented: “I am proud that ICG is making this significant commitment, which reflects our longstanding support for education as a means of improving social mobility outcomes, as well as our strong commitment to Inclusion within the alternative investment industry. This long-term package of support will help create a pathway for talented students from diverse backgrounds to help them reach their true potential.”

Nathan Sansom, Chief Executive of The Access Project, said: “We are thrilled to join this partnership with ICG. Their transformative investment over the next three years will support us to expand into new regions and reach even more young people who need a helping hand to get into top universities. Thanks to ICG, even more students will benefit from our support and double their chances of getting into one of the best universities in the country and we will be able to invest in deepening our collaboration with upReach and SEO to ensure they succeed in their chosen field.”

upReach CEO John Craven added: "upReach are grateful for the support of ICG over the next three years. Their funding will help upReach achieve various elements of our 2025 Strategy, from expanding our work in schools, to scaling the Social Mobility Network, supporting more students on our intensive programmes of support, and growing our Alumni programme to help people get on, not just get in. Additionally, the funding will allow upReach to deepen our collaboration with The Access Project, guaranteeing that eligible students who got to university with their help can receive support from upReach throughout their time at university."

Andrew Fairbairn, Founder and CEO of SEO London commented: “The entire SEO organisation is mobilised globally to create educational and professional opportunities and to deliver positive social mobility outcomes. This investment from ICG is a tremendous validation of our mission and work supporting young people from underserved, underprivileged and underrepresented backgrounds, particularly across the UK, continental Europe and the USA.  ICG’s funding will have an immediate impact on our organisation, allowing us to scale up, expand and transform our service footprint. Thank you ICG!”