Justine, who is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, was given the award at the Institute’s flagship Annual Dinner yesterday (Tuesday 15 September 2026). She is currently the joint chancellor of the University of Southampton and is chair of the Sutton Trust Education Advisory Panel. She is also a non-executive director of On The Beach plc.

She is the founder of the Purpose Coalition, which brings together business leaders, public sector leaders, educators and policy makers to take a collective practical approach to improving social mobility across the UK.

Justine was an MP for 14 years and was in the Cabinet for more than six years. She held ministerial roles including Secretary of State for Education, International Development and Transport, as well as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Women and Equalities.

Before entering politics, she spent 15 years in business as a finance professional, having qualified as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant at Price Waterhouse in 1995.

The Rt. Hon. Justine Greening said:

“This award means a huge amount to me. Qualifying as a chartered accountant gave me a headstart in my career which was such an important part of my own social mobility journey. I look forward to continuing my collaborative work in business and education, and to expand upon opportunities and address head on the inequalities within our society.”

Alan Vallance, ICAEW Chief Executive, said:

“We are honoured to present Justine with ICAEW’s Outstanding Achievement Award. This award recognises her dedication to public service, and her exceptional leadership in advancing social mobility and equality of opportunity.

“Justine’s work has covered senior roles in politics, business and her leadership role in social mobility. She continues to make the case for breaking down barriers for opportunity across the UK, and on behalf of ICAEW, we are delighted to present her with this award.”

ENDS

CITATION IN FULL:

The award is bestowed on a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (“ICAEW”) who has made an outstanding contribution in any field of endeavour.

The forty-seventh award, that for 2026, has been conferred on

THE RT. HON. JUSTINE GREENING

in recognition of her outstanding achievements in public service and for exceptional leadership in advancing social mobility and equality of opportunity across the United Kingdom.

Justine Greening is a Chartered Accountant whose career has combined senior financial leadership, Cabinet-level public service and, most notably, a sustained and influential commitment to improving social mobility. Through her work she has reshaped how business, government and education collaborate to expand opportunity and address entrenched inequality across society.

Qualifying as an ACA in 1995 with Price Waterhouse, she established a strong foundation in financial and strategic leadership through senior roles with GlaxoSmithKline and Centrica, including as Head of Sales and Marketing Finance. This commercial experience informed her rigorous, evidence-based approach to public policy and later underpinned her work in embedding purpose-led, outcome-driven frameworks across both public and private sectors.

Elected Member of Parliament for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields in 2005, she served for fourteen years, including over six years in Cabinet. As Secretary of State for International Development from 2012 to 2016, she led the United Kingdom’s response to the Ebola crisis and played a significant role in shaping the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating a commitment to opportunity and inclusion on a global scale. As Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities from 2016 to 2018, she placed social mobility at the centre of government policy, championing skills, access and fair opportunity, and becoming the first holder of that office to have been educated at a comprehensive school.

Since leaving Parliament in 2019, Justine has made social mobility the defining focus of her career. As Founder and Chair of the Social Mobility Pledge, she has built the largest business-led campaign of its kind, now adopted by more than 800 organisations representing millions of employees and students. The Pledge has created a practical and scalable framework enabling employers and educational institutions to widen access, improve progression and measure outcomes, helping to embed social mobility as a core organisational priority.

Through her leadership of The Purpose Coalition, she has further driven systemic change by bringing together major employers, universities, NHS bodies and local authorities to deliver tangible action on levelling up and equality of opportunity. Her development of the Purpose Goals framework has provided organisations with a structured approach to identifying and addressing barriers to opportunity, influencing policy and organisational practice across the United Kingdom.

Her thought leadership has been instrumental in reframing social mobility as both an economic and societal imperative. She has consistently advocated data-driven approaches, cross-sector collaboration and long-term accountability, ensuring that efforts to improve opportunity are measurable, sustainable and impactful.

Alongside this work, she continues to contribute extensively to public life and governance. She serves as Joint Chancellor of the University of Southampton, Chair of the Sutton Trust Education Advisory Board, and Non-Executive Director of On the Beach Group plc, where she chairs the Remuneration Committee. She remains a highly regarded commentator on social mobility, economic inclusion and purpose-led leadership.

Justine has also made a significant contribution to the accountancy profession, championing access to careers in finance and supporting initiatives that broaden entry pathways into the profession. Her work has highlighted the profession’s vital role in driving inclusive growth and enabling individuals from all backgrounds to succeed.

A first-class graduate in Business Economics and Accounting from the University of Southampton, and an MBA graduate of London Business School, she exemplifies the values of the profession at its best. Her career is distinguished not only by high achievement, but also by a sustained commitment to expanding opportunity and enabling others to fulfil their potential.

This award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales acknowledges Justine Greening’s outstanding achievements in public service and her exceptional leadership in advancing social mobility and equality of opportunity across the United Kingdom.

ENDS