CaixaBank Asset Management, the CaixaBank Group fund management firm, has been named “European Leader in gender diversity (20–50 managers category)”, at the Gender Diversity Awards held by magazine Citywire.
The award represents the acknowledgement of the company's efforts to progress in gender diversity, positioning CaixaBank AM as the European fund management firm in the 20–50 managers category with the highest presence of women in fund management. According to the scope analysed, 38% of managers are women, representing the highest percentage among the firms included.
CaixaBank AM is also the sole Spanish fund manager to receive a recognition at these awards, and Spain now has the best figures in this field, boasting 22% of the total, the highest ratio of female fund managers out of all the countries in Europe and America.
The jury of the awards, comprising five experts from the asset management sector, chose the winners of the various categories according to the results of Citywire magazine's Alpha Female 2020 report and fund manager data system. The fact that CaixaBank is included in Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index was also decisive in the jury's decision.
Citywire's Gender Diversity Awards, which were created in 2020, seek to acknowledge and reward the asset management firms with the best levels of gender representation and the leaders in gender-diversity best practices.
This commitment from CaixaBank AM to gender equality in fund management also extends to the rest of the firm, which boasts more than 200 employees, 48% of which are women, and which features 41% of management positions (directors and middle management) held by women. In the area of investments, women make up 40% of the team.
CaixaBank's Wengage programme, the institution's commitment to equality
Diversity, meritocracy, equal opportunities and talent recognition are some of the pillars of CaixaBank's corporate culture. Under these premises, it works with a commitment to be a pacesetter for its employees, promoting inclusion and participation and bolstering projects that promote equality, both within the company and across the whole of society. In fact, a total of 41.6% of managerial positions at CaixaBank are held by women, and it has a public commitment to reach 43% in 2021, and the Board of Directors is made up of 42.8% women, one of the sector's highest ratios.
CaixaBank's initiatives feature the Wengage diversity programme, a cross-disciplinary project developed by people from all areas of CaixaBank, the initiatives of which CaixaBank AM is actively involved in. The programme is based on meritocracy and promoting equal opportunities, and works to promote and achieve gender, functional and generational diversity. Wengage includes internal measures to foster flexibility and work-life balance, to raise awareness regarding diversity and strengthen the role of women, with training programmes and female mentoring plans, through which female managers will guide other professionals in developing their careers.
Wengage also develops external initiatives for customers and society, based on championing diversity and equal opportunities in three fields of action: leadership and enterprise; innovation and education; and sport.
Furthermore, in January 2020, CaixaBank signed an Equality Plan to promote the principles of equal opportunities and diversity in work teams, increase the presence of women in managerial positions and strengthen measures to enhance the work-life balance. The plan features the scope of gender in managerial development programs and in recruitment and training processes, and the fostering of remote working and flexibility.
Thanks to this commitment, CaixaBank has been recognized as the best company in the world in gender equality, according to the Bloomberg 2021 Gender-Equality Index. It also has other distinctions such as the Equality in Business Badge (DIE), managed by the Institute of Women, and has been recognised by the Másfamilia Foundation with EFR Certification (Family Responsible Company). It has received various recognitions, such as the 25th anniversary of the FEDEPE Award (the Spanish Federation of Female Managers, Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs).
CaixaBank also hold the first position in Spain on the EWoB Gender Diversity Index. And, the Fundación para la Diversidad has awarded CaixaBank’s Wengage programme the recognition as the “Best Practice by a Large Company 2020”. Also in 2020, CaixaBank Asset Management has been chosen as “European Leader in Gender Diversity (20-50 managers category) by Citywire magazine.
CaixaBank is associated with the international programme Target Gender Equality and the Women’s Empowerment Principles, of the United Nations; the Voluntary Agreement with the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, 'More women, better businesses', seeking better representativeness of women in management positions; and the Diversity Charter, promoting equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory measures.
In addition, it is one of the entities adhered to the STEAM Alliance for female talent “Niñas en pie de ciencia”, an initiative led by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Professional Training to promote STEAM vocations among girls and young women.
