LGBT Great Standards Launched
LGBT Great today announced the first six financial services organisations to achieve its Gold Standard for LGBT+ equality within financial services. Fidelity International, Legal and General Group, BlackRock, Lane Clark and Peacock, Janus Henderson Investors and M&G plc have been awarded the prestigious Gold Standard. This is awarded only to financial services organisations who have completed and scored top marks in LGBT Great’s Inclusion Index Benchmarking Tracker (iiBT).
The iiBT is valuable to financial services organisations because it provides an industry specific lens and enables benchmarking against relevant industry peers. The iiBT framework was developed by LGBT Great alongside the financial services industry, for the industry, and is designed to empower financial services organisations to achieve their full LGBT+ diversity, equity, and inclusion potential.
The financial services industry is behind many other sectors when it comes to LGBT+ representation and reputation. The iiBT is part of LGBT Great’s bold industry agenda of modernisation across financial services organisations to appeal to, and fully empower, LGBT+ people and Generation Z. This generation is the most diverse generation yet with an increasing proportion of this future talent and customers identifying as sexually diverse, and, or gender fluid.
From today, the prestigious Gold Standard is awarded to financial services organisations who achieve a score of 80% plus across all ten of the iiBT’s diversity and inclusion indicators. Organisations that achieve gold, are required to clearly describe, evidence, and demonstrate the impact of LGBT+ diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies both internally and externally. Participating firms are assessed across a series of ten indicators, including, but not limited to, their approach to executive sponsorship, talent, strategy, policy, planning, clients, and visibility.
Matt Cameron, Global Managing Director of LGBT Great, comments that:
"The launch of LGBT Great’s Financial Services Standards is part of our mission to transform financial services into the most trusted industry of choice for LGBT+ talent, clients and investors. These standards recognise those organisations who are striving to influence equality in their organisations and externally. We are immensely proud of the first six member organisations to achieve the Gold Standard, and all others who have achieved Silver and Bronze. We look forward to role modelling their success and inspiring other financial services organisations to follow their lead in the months and years ahead.”
Derek Young, President of Fidelity International Japan, and LGBT+ Executive Co-Sponsor, comments that:
“We are so proud that Fidelity has achieved the Gold LGBT Great Financial Services Standard for the completion of the Inclusion Index Benchmark Tracker. These benchmarks help us measure how far we’ve come and what we have to do to ensure our workplace is one where everyone can bring their whole self to work and thrive. Being named as one of the first six companies to achieve the Gold Standard is a fantastic achievement and testament to the amazing people at Fidelity who are committed to creating an inclusive and great place to work for everyone.”
Shaun Southern, LCP’s LGBT+ Partner Champion, comments that:
"I’m absolutely delighted and very proud that Lane Clark & Peacock has achieved LGBT Great’s Gold Standard. LCP is first and foremost a people business and a key ingredient to staying at the front of our industry is our aspiration to be the employer of choice for all, providing an inclusive and supporting environment which enables people to thrive. Our LGBT+ Network and our D&I team work tirelessly with great passion and enthusiasm to help us push further forward on this journey and being awarded the Gold Standard is a real testament to their success.”
Ryan O’Keeffe, Managing Director and EMEA Executive Sponsor of Out & Allies at BlackRock, comments that:
“I am thrilled that BlackRock has been awarded the Gold Standard in LGBT Great iiBT, a true testament to all of the hard work and progress we have made in diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm. A diverse and inclusive workforce delivers value for clients, employees and shareholders, and I am especially proud of the leadership that our Out & Allies employee network provides to BlackRock in this regard.”
Georgina Fogo, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Sponsor and ally of the Janus Henderson Pride Employee Resource Group, Chair of the Janus Henderson Global DEI Committee, comments that:
“Janus Henderson has been a proud and long-standing supporter of LGBTQ+ colleagues and communities throughout the world, and especially in the countries and cities where we are based. We’re delighted that LGBT Great has recognised Janus Henderson as one of the first six financial services firms ever to meet their prestigious Gold Standard, a benchmark we will work hard to maintain as we recognise that the effort needed to achieve absolute equality and sustainability for LGBTQ+ people is far from complete.”
Alan Porter, General Counsel and Company Secretary at M&G plc, comments that:
“M&G is very proud to be one of the first six companies to have achieved the LGBT Great Financial Services Gold Standard. This recognition highlights the progress we are making towards our commitment of being an inclusive organisation. I want to thank the members of the M&G Pride network and leaders across M&G who continue to work in advancing our diversity and inclusion strategy by keeping M&G focussed on becoming an organisation where everyone can be their true self.”
Laura Mason, Chief Executive Officer, Legal & General Capital, and L&G Executive Sponsor for Diversity and Inclusion, comments that:
“Legal & General is delighted to achieve the Gold LGBT Great Financial Services Standard. This has been achieved with brilliant teamwork across our organisation. Participation in the iiBT framework enables L&G to see where we are succeeding and where further focus is needed; this is essential to us as we seek to improve workforce diversity and progress in how we are building a more inclusive workplace.”