The charter now covers more than 760,000 financial services employees in the UK, after a further 67 firms signed up.
JP Morgan, Bupa, Equifax, Admiral Group, Investec Asset Management, Yorkshire Building Society and AE3 Media, parent company of Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions, are among the companies to have recently joined.
The charter asks firms to commit to four industry actions to prepare their female talent for leadership positions:
- Having one member of a senior executive team who is responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion;
- Setting internal targets for gender diversity in their senior management;
- publishing progress annually against these targets in reports on their website;
- Having an intention to ensure the pay of the senior executive team is linked to delivery against these internal targets on gender diversity
Good for business
John Glen, economic secretary to the Treasury said: “From banking to asset management, too few women get to the top in financial services.
“That’s why it’s so important that firms sign our charter and commit publicly to take action.
“It’s not just the morally right thing to do – a balanced workforce is good for business, for customers, and for profitability too.
“I commend our new signatories for taking a step in the right direction. I urge firms who’ve not already signed our charter to join us in building a more representative and inclusive industry.”
Jayne-Anne Gadhia, chief executive of Virgin Money and the government’s Women in Finance Champion added: “I am delighted we have more than 270 companies committed to HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter.
“Gender equality and diversity is integral to creating a fairer, more prosperous society. But there’s still more to do and we will keep going until every organisation is signed up.”
