Treasury Committee launches inquiry into barriers faced by women in finance

The Treasury Committee has launched an inquiry into the barriers faced by women in financial services – Sexism in the City.

The Committee asks for evidence on the follow topics:

• Progress made in removing the barriers to women entering and progressing their careers across the financial services industry, including progress to financial services firms’ Boards and executive roles;
• Progress made in implementing the recommendations of the previous 2018 inquiry;
• The impact of Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter and any other Government and regulator initiatives;
• Progress on removing gender pay gaps in financial services and in implementing measures to address such gaps;
• The role of Government and regulators in:
  • Acting as role models for good gender diversity practices;
  • Ensuring appropriate data is collected and published;
  • Marketing the financial industry to a more diverse base of potential recruits; and
  • Ensuring firm cultures, policies and practices support women’s aspirations and progress; and
• The role of, and progress of, firms, Government and regulators in combatting sexual harassment and misogyny in financial services, and offering effective ways to escalate concerns about sexual harassment.

The Committee also welcomes evidence comparing the financial sector to other sectors of the economy, and international comparisons to the UK environment. It particularly welcomes evidence from women who work in, or have worked in, financial services.

The call for evidence closes 1 September 2023.