Bower are delighted to announce that we have signed the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter. A pledge for gender balance across financial services.
What is the HM Treasury’s Women In Finance Charter?
The Women in Finance Charter is a commitment by HM Treasury and signatory firms to work together to build a more balanced and fair industry.
Plenty of young female graduates join financial services firms but very few progress beyond the mid-tier and some leave the sector entirely.
HM Treasury ‘s research found that just 14% of executive positions are held by women. With figures as low as this, something had to be done.
The Charter reflects the government’s aspiration to see gender balance at all levels across financial services firms. It asks firms to sign and commit to implementing key industry actions.
Bower retirement, along with 271 other firms including J.P. Morgan, Admiral Group, Equifax, Investec Asset Management, and Yorkshire Building Society have signed the Women in Finance charter. With the additional signatories, the Charter now covers over 760,000 financial services employees in the UK.
Each signatory, including Bower, are pledging to promote gender diversity and the progression of women in the finance industry into senior roles.
Bower pledge to promote gender diversity by:
- Having one member of our senior executive team who is responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion.
- Setting internal targets for gender diversity in our senior management.
- Publishing progress annually against these targets in reports on our website.
- Having an intention to ensure the pay of the senior executive team is linked to delivery against these internal targets on gender diversity.
Comments from Hannah Gray, Head of Operations:
After attending a briefing on The Women In Finance Charter back in March, I felt compelled to bring it straight back to the Board members here at Bower and present to them the reasons why we should sign up to the Charter. I had full support and feel privileged to have been nominated as the appointed member of the senior executive team responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion.
Here at Bower, we have 25% split of female Board members. 33% female senior executives and a 48% gender split across all staff. While we are proud these figures are above average, Bower are committed to ensure that this will remain the case and are in full support of women in finance.
-Hannah Gray
Head of Operations and appointed member of the senior executive team responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion.
