Episode 31: Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in Financial Services

Diversity makes business sense from both a financial and consumer perspective, with research in financial services demonstrating a positive link between diversity at senior levels and positive outcomes. Firms are increasingly encouraged by regulators and public, shareholder and employee expectations to introduce new inclusion, diversity and equity (IDE) policies and strategies such as increasing participation by minority groups, collecting data and introducing new policies – but at the same time, financial institutions must not be seen to be going too far and creating unlawful reverse discrimination risks as highlighted by recent court decisions.

In this episode, members of Baker McKenzie’s Employment and Compensation group, Blair Robinson, a partner in New York, and Lorren Martin, a senior associate in London, discuss the issues around IDE faced by financial institutions on both sides of the Atlantic and globally, with Rachel Farr, senior knowledge lawyer.