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Championing gender equality in financial services

Unividual is not just committed to gender balance. We are actively shaping the future of financial services. As proud signatories of the Women in Finance Charter, we’re driving change within our industry by fostering a culture where women can thrive in leadership roles. Our dedication to this cause is reflected in our achievements and ongoing efforts to empower more women to enter, grow, and excel in this traditionally male-dominated field.

Striving for gender balance in financial services

Unividual is  one of just a few businesses in the UK who are signed up to the Women in Finance Charter. Gender balance in financial services has been readily written about over the last few years. In 2015 the Government asked Jayne-Anne Gadhia, former CEO of Virgin Money, to lead a review into the representation of women in senior managerial roles in financial services. The Review, “Empowering Productivity: Harnessing the talents of women in financial services” found that women made up only 14% of Executive Committees in the Financial Services sector. In response to the recommendations in that review, HM Treasury launched the Women in Finance Charter to encourage the financial services industry to improve gender balance in senior management. The Charter now has more than 400 signatories covering 950,000 employees across the sector.

Why we support the Women In Finance Charter

The Women in Finance Charter reflects Unividual’s aspiration to see gender balance across financial services firms. Those signing up to the Charter commit to working together to build a balanced and fair industry and pledge to be the best businesses in the sector. In signing up to the Charter, Lewis Baxter, London Financial Planner and Director of Unividual said: “We set ourselves the target of ensuring, as a minimum, 33.3% of our senior management team is made up of women by January 2021. We are delighted and proud to confirm we achieved this target well in advance of our target date. Our aim is to now ensure we maintain this minimum representation on our senior management team moving forward and continue to increase our gender diversity in other areas of the business. We are still yet to have our first female financial adviser. This is something we have been focusing on since the launch of our in-house financial planning school, Unicademy. It can take 3 years for an employee to train up and we are striving to support the women in Unicademy so that one day we have our first female financial adviser.”

 

Meet Cherise, who now has her Diploma in Financial Planning

Cherise, 22, enrolled on to Unividual’s Unicademy in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. She proudly speaks of her part to play at Unividual:

“When I joined Unividual I was a young female entering a male-dominated industry. Being aware of the gender imbalance makes me more determined to show that as a young woman I can achieve just as much as anyone else and I am definitely facing that challenge head-on. One of the reasons I joined Unividual was to bring more of a gender balance to the company.”

“Young women like myself, may have the perception that most financial advice firms have a stereotypical ‘alpha-male’ nature. Although that is absolutely not the case with any of Unividual’s advisers, it may be the reason that some people do not seek advice in the first place. Therefore, I strive to break down those stereotypical barriers to make the industry a more approachable place.”

“Now I am a manager of a paraplanning team and I have already completed my Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. As a leader in the business, I hope to inspire other women to consider our profession as a career option.”

Contact our financial advisers

Hear from Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, Government Women in Finance Champion

“Even amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, British firms continue to recognise and prioritize the need to improve gender balance. We celebrate the firms that have met their targets this year, as well as those that continue to actively work towards achieving gender equality. Diverse and inclusive businesses are often those with the best workplace culture, the best employee retention rates, and the most sustainable returns. We also recognise the success that comes with senior accountability for gender diversity. When this matters at the very top of the organisation, and when measurable targets are set, results will be achieved.”

Find out more about Unividual’s strategy for improving gender balance in financial services or download the full list of the 2020 Women in Finance Charter signatories

Unividual's Strategy For Gender Balance

Queenie, Unividual’s Paraplanning Team Leader said: “One of the hardest obstacles our industry has is making personal financial advice an attractive career option to women because of the perception that a financial adviser is a role traditionally taken up by men, just like on the opposite side nursing is traditionally taken up by women. I joined Unividual when the business overhauled their recruitment process. I was attracted to the language and imagery they used in their recruitment marketing campaigns, which was inclusive to a wide cross section of society. During that recruitment process I felt my personality and skills could shine through, especially on my Experience Day where I could showcase what I was about and experience the office environment.”

“Being awarded a place on the Women in Finance Charter is not only a reward to our hard work but demonstrates our commitment to gender balance. It gives women the reassurance that at Unividual they can have a prosperous, fair career. They can push themselves and still be in a competitive environment but for reasons that aren’t gender based.”

Financial independence for all

Gender imbalance is systemic in financial services, from banking through to insurance and retirement planning, for decades women have never been at the centre of their own finances. Whilst small pockets of businesses are trying to change this, and the numbers of women working in a position of power in financial services is growing, decades of neglect are creating a finance epidemic of its own. Find out how women and girls can achieve bespoke financial planning and build more financial independence.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out about Unividual’s financial planning services.  If you are keen to enquire about careers with Unividual on our financial planning training academy we would welcome your contact. Alternatively check out our case studies on how financial advice betters people’s financial position and wellbeing.

 

Author: Cherie-Anne Baxter

Editor: Cherie-Anne Baxter

Updated: 21st May 2025

Figures are correct as of the above date

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