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Policy Futures Programme

Early-career recruitment and workplace equity consulting

Overview

The Ladder Group combines three units—The Early Careers Company, Ladder Consulting, and The Early Careers Foundation—to help organizations hire and develop talent from all backgrounds. It delivers inclusive recruitment, full-service RPO, on-demand recruitment, and ESG/workplace equity consulting, backed by data-led planning and equitable assessment frameworks, plus workforce learning programs. Its Foundation is funded by 15% of recruitment revenue to support youth programs. After being acquired by the Unseen Group in 2026, its mission is to drive measurable social impact alongside better business performance by integrating technology, assessment science, and talent strategy.

Significant Headcount Growth

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About Policy Futures Programme

Simplify's Rating
Why Policy Futures Programme is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Data & AnalyticsConsultingSocial Impact

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Founded

2021

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Simplify's take

What believers are saying

  • May 2027 recruitment and August 2027 start create fresh applicant momentum.
  • £30,000 salary and two rotations make the programme attractive to ambitious graduates.
  • Social-mobility positioning strengthens employer brand with policy institutions and candidate communities.

What critics are saying

  • Depends on three think tanks; any partner exit kills the programme by 2027.
  • Unseen bought Ladder in August 2026, so integration disruptions can hit delivery quickly.
  • If applications disappoint, the programme becomes a costly brand exercise with weak employer demand.

What makes Policy Futures Programme unique

  • Runs with IPPR, Demos, and SMF, giving unmatched think-tank credibility.
  • Offers paid policy entry with no formal experience, widening applicant pools fast.
  • Backed by Unseen Group's assessment science and technology after the August 2026 acquisition.

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Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

7%

1 year growth

7%

2 year growth

7%
BusinessCloud
Aug 4th, 2026
Unseen Group seals double acquisition.

Unseen Group seals double acquisition. Deals for The Ladder Group and The Udder Group takes Unseen's total number of acquisitions up to 13 and its workforce to 145 Unseen Group has completed its 12th and 13th acquisitions with deals for early-careers recruitment business The Ladder Group (TLG) and HR tech advisory firm The Udder Group (Udder). The future talent partner for enterprise employers now has more than 145 full-time equivalent employees globally. Zac Williams, CEO of Unseen Group, said: "Welcoming both The Ladder Group and Udder to Unseen is a huge moment for us. We have spent years building and acquiring hiring technology platforms, with our solutions supporting some of the world's largest employers across every stage of the talent journey. These two acquisitions take that even further." The acquisition of The Ladder Group strengthens Unseen's early-careers recruitment and delivery capabilities. Williams added: "The Ladder Group is a specialist early careers recruitment business that has built a strong reputation for delivery and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for emerging talent. "We believe we can rapidly accelerate their great work in delivering talent programmes globally by bringing our technology solutions and assessment science into their work." Dan Ball, founder of The Ladder Group, said: "I have always admired the ambition, values and culture that the Unseen team have built, so when we started thinking about the future of The Ladder Group, Unseen felt like its natural home. "I am immensely proud of what our team has achieved, not just the business we have built, but the impact we have had on thousands of young people. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and belief of an exceptional team. "Combining The Ladder Group's expertise with Unseen's technology platforms means we will be able to deliver even more innovative, end-to-end solutions for our clients while accelerating our impact." Udder helps employers with technology scoping, platform selection, implementation, integration, adoption and optimisation. The acquisition expands Unseen's services into HR technology advisory and implementation. Williams added: "Udder is really exciting because it allows us to meet clients wherever they are on their technology journey, whether that is implementing a new ATS, integrating software across the hiring process, or optimising what they already have." Alan Walker, co-founder of Udder, said: "We built Udder on the belief that organisations should be able to make big technology decisions with honest, independent advice, without jargon, noise or vested interests. "What drew us to Unseen was a shared belief that technology should make hiring better and more human, as well as a real appreciation for what makes Udder different. "Joining Unseen gives us the opportunity to bring what we do to more organisations, work alongside specialists across the wider talent journey, and create new opportunities for our people. It feels like a natural next step for Udder, and we are genuinely excited about what we can achieve together." Following 13 acquisitions, Unseen Group now spans a range of specialist capabilities, including people strategy, delivery, assessment science, hiring technology, employer storytelling and independent technology advice. Williams concluded: "Supporting employers across every part of the talent journey has always been our goal, and with 13 acquisitions now complete, we have the scale and breadth of capability to do that in a way that genuinely excites me. "The Ladder Group and Udder are significant additions that strengthen and deepen our expertise, and both bring incredibly talented and skilled teams into the group. As a business, we are here to build the futures not yet seen, and I have never felt more confident in our ability to do exactly that." Unseen was advised by JMW on legal matters, Cowgills on financial due diligence and tax, and Megabuyte on commercial matters, with support from Pelican Capital and ThinCats.

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