CaixaBank Asset Management, the CaixaBank Group fund management firm, has been named "Leader in gender diversity in Europe" for the second consecutive year and "Best gender representation", for the first time, in the 20–50 managers category at the "Gender Diversity Awards" held by the magazine Citywire.
The Awards, in its second edition, highlight international fund management firms committed to gender diversity for their best practices in the field and for how they incorporate it in their investment decisions, based on the data collected by the magazine Citywire in its annual report Alpha Female 2021 and in the surveys sent to the nominees in each category.
The jury of the Awards, comprising of seven directors, analysts and experts from the asset management sector, granted CaixaBank AM two awards, thus recognising the bank's efforts to progress in gender diversity, and positioning it as the leading European fund manager in this area and the only Spanish fund manager to be recognised at these international awards.
According to the employed database, CaixaBank AM is the firm with the highest percentage of female fund managers, boasting 48% of the total, well above its main competitor, with a percentage of 35%. In addition, the jury valued, among other aspects, CaixaBank's position as the world's top bank in Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index and its efforts in the Wengage programme's initiatives, where it works towards fostering diversity and equal opportunities.
Wengage, CaixaBank's commitment towards diversity
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, 41.4% of managerial positions at CaixaBank are held by women, and the Board of Directors is made up of 40% women, one of the sector's highest ratios.
CaixaBank's Wengage diversity programme is a cross-disciplinary project developed by people from all areas of CaixaBank, based on meritocracy and the promotion of equal opportunities, which works to foster and visualise gender, functional and generational diversity. Wengage includes internal measures to foster flexibility and work-life balance, to raise awareness regarding diversity and to 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 opportunity in 3 fields of action: leadership and entrepreneurship, innovation and education, and sport.
Furthermore, CaixaBank has had an Equality Plan since January 2020 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 programmes and in recruitment and training processes, and the fostering of teleworking and flexibility.
Since 2018, CaixaBank has adhered to the EJE&CON Code of Good Practices for Talent Management and the Improvement of Company Competitiveness, committing itself to fostering the increased presence of women in managerial positions, and works actively to drive their international outreach. It is also part of the STEAM Alliance for Female Talent “Girls on the Science Stand,” an initiative led by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to promote STEAM careers in girls and young women. It is also associated with the international programme Target Gender Equality and the UN’s Women’s Empowerment Principles, as well as the Diversity Charter, promoting equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory measures.
Recognition of diversity
As a result of this commitment, CaixaBank has received recognition as the world's best bank for gender equality according to the international 2021 Bloomberg Index and is in first position in Spain in the EWoB Gender Diversity Index. In addition, it is part of the new IBEX Gender Equality Index.
The bank boasts other distinctions in this field, such as the Workplace Equality Seal (DIE in Spanish), presented by the Women's Institute, and it has been recognised by the MásFamilia Foundation with its Family-Friendly Company (EFR) certification, making it the first Spanish financial institution to achieve ‘level of excellence A’.
These awards come in addition to the 25th Anniversary Award of FEDEPE (Spanish Federation of Women Directors, Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs) and the Diversity Foundation's distinction of the Wengage programme as “Best Practice of a Large Enterprise 2020”.
