Women in Finance Charter
The 'Women in Finance Charter' asks financial services firms to commit to implement four key industry actions.
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In 2015, the Government asked Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, former CEO of Virgin Money, to lead a review into the representation of women in senior managerial roles in financial services, focusing on the talent pipeline at the executive population below board level.
“Empowering Productivity: Harnessing the talents of women in financial services” was published in March 2016. The review found that in 2015, 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 the Women in Finance Charter.
There are now over 400 firms, covering about1.3 1.1 million employees, voluntarily signed up to the commitments of the Charter – from global banks to credit unions, the largest insurance companies to the smallest fintech start-ups – with headquarters in the UK, NorthUSA, America, Europe and Asia.
HM Treasury welcomes interest in the Charter from all firms of any type and size, and firms can still sign the Women in Finance Charter to join our next cohort of signatories. See our guidance or send us an email email womeninfinance@hmtreasury.gov.uk for for more information on the Charter. To sign the Charter and formally commit to implement these recommendations, please emailvisit womeninfinance@hmtreasury.gov.ukthe website) and complete the online form.
For analysis by our data partner, New Financial, on the progress made by current signatories, please view the the New Financial analysis: Women in Finance page page on gov.uk.
The independent Women in Finance Charter Board comprises representatives from financial services firms which are signatories to the Charter. It enables, through signatory engagement, the sharing of best practice to achieve the Charter commitments. If you would like to contact the Board, either as a Charter signatory, or as an organisation considering signing the Charter, please email womeninfinancecharterindustryboard@santander.co.uk.
In March 2016, HM Treasury signed up to the Charter. Since then, we have increased our female representation in senior management from 43% to 51%50% (as of March 2025).2024). Please visit Womenvisit in Finance Charter HM Treasury’s updateProgress 2024/2025Update - GOV.UK2023 on gov.uk to read more about HM Treasury’s own progress as a signatory.
Updates to this page
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Guidance, list of signatories, and details updated.
Update history
2026-03-25 17:00
Guidance, list of signatories, and details updated.
2025-04-03 08:45
Guidance and list of signatories updated.
2024-03-21 09:00
Updated the ‘Women in Finance Charter guidance’ document. Archived the ‘HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter commitment’ document.
2024-02-14 11:00
Women in Finance Charter list of signatories updated for February 2024
2023-06-30 10:00
Updates to HMT Women in Finance Charter list of signatories document and Women in Finance Charter guidance document
2023-03-16 08:30
Updated details to sign Charter, guidance and List of Signatories updated for March 2023
2022-06-23 12:52
New review added, and List of Signatories + Guidance updated for June 2022