Women are set to be chosen for more top roles in the future as government's push for greater diversity in financial services gathers pace. More than two thirds of firms believe that signing up to the Treasury's Women in Finance Charter, of which the CII is a signatory, will lead to permanent and sustainable change in gender diversity at senior levels across the industry. According to new research, conducted by thinktank New Financial, 62% of firms have taken specific action to support female career progression since signing up to the Charter -- an initiative that aims to build the pipeline of female talent for leadership positions.
Initiatives such as succession planning, examining hiring practices and unconscious bias training, are helping to make the culture at these firms more female-friendly and in the long run, should help firms attract and retain the best talent. Data shows that the groundbreaking Women in Finance Charter is also paving the way for firms to improve on other types of diversity. This comes as a further 25 firms sign up to the Women in Finance Charter, bringing the total number of firms involved to 141. New signatories from the insurance sector include Axa UK, ReAssure Group and Channel Islands Adjusters.