Diversity and Inclusion

At UK Finance we are committed to building and promoting a diverse and inclusive working environment for all colleagues - one where difference is welcomed and diverse views, ideas and perspectives are sought and valued.

We recognise that diversity drives innovation, creativity, and originality, and equips us to most effectively represent and meet the needs of our members and their customers.

At the heart of our inclusion strategy are the following core objectives:

Building and maintaining an inclusive environment: working with colleagues to build the skills, understanding and culture to ensure an inclusive working environment. By fostering understanding and enhancing knowledge we will provide colleagues with the tools and opportunities to thrive.

Building a diverse workforce: ensuring we have the right processes, tools, recruitment and selection approaches in place to recruit a diverse and talented workforce that delivers the skills and experience needed for the business.

Living these objectives: ensuring that colleagues are able to bring their true self to work and feel supported and encouraged through a working environment that is open, diverse, inclusive and welcoming to all.

To support the work that we are doing to build a balanced business we have:

  • set up a colleague-led diversity and inclusion network
  • appointed internal diversity champions
  • set out clear diversity and inclusion objectives and priorities
  • adopted 'blind' recruitment practices

We report on our progress regularly to our Board and each objective is also supported by a detailed action plan.

An overview of some of our inclusion initiatives

Gender

  • We are a signatory to the HM Treasury Women in Finance charter and we are on track to meet our commitment to have 50 per cent of women in senior roles by January 2023.
  • We have set internal targets for gender diversity in our senior management team.
  • We have appointed a member of our senior executive team to be responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion.
  • The pay of the senior executive team is linked to delivery against these internal targets on gender diversity.
  • We undertake voluntary gender pay gap reporting, the results of which are shared with our colleagues.

Ethnic background

  • We have set internal targets for ethnic diversity representation at senior level and we aim to be representative of wider UK society as a whole at all levels of our business.
  • We have begun publishing internally regular 'Who I Am' pieces by colleagues as we know that dialogue promotes openness and understanding around these issues.
  • We undertake voluntary ethnicity pay gap reporting, the results of which are shared with our colleagues.
  • We are signatories of the Business in the Community 'Race at Work Charter' which sets out our public commitment to improve outcomes for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) employees in the UK.

Sexual orientation

  • We have reviewed the language/options of our Company policies and benefits in order to ensure that no colleague is unintentionally excluded.

Wellbeing

  • We provide a generous package of colleague benefits that are focused on supporting health and wellbeing.
  • We run regular health and wellbeing webinars which are open to all colleagues.
  • All colleagues have access to trained counsellors and a virtual GP service.
  • Mental health first aiders onsite, trained to support colleagues day-to-day and to signpost appropriate support, both in and outside of the workplace.
  • We are a member of the Living Wage Foundation, the independent movement of organisations, businesses and people campaigning for a real living wage based on the cost of living, not just the government determined minimum wage.

Parents and carers

  • We offer generous maternity, paternity and shared parental leave pay.
  • We have a range of policies in place to support all colleagues with caring responsibilities.
  • We offer access to online live and on demand information resources and support networks.
  • We support flexible working.