Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at AFME

AFME is a signatory to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and is committed to improving gender balance across the organisation, with a particular focus on senior management.

We have exceeded our original target of 30% female representation in senior management, achieving and maintaining 44% representation in 2024 and 2025. Building on this progress, we have set a new target of 40% female representation in senior management roles by September 2026.

We have appointed a member of our senior executive team to be responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion. The pay of the senior executive team is intended to be linked to delivery against internal gender diversity targets.

We publish annual updates on our progress and continue to support wider industry efforts to improve gender balance, including maintaining a minimum of 30% female representation among keynote speakers, moderators and panellists at AFME events.

2026 update

Female representation within our senior management team was 37% in 2026, compared with 44% in 2025. While lower than the previous year, AFME continues to exceed its original Women in Finance Charter target of 30%. As a relatively small organisation, the movement of a small number of individuals can have a significant impact on annual figures. The change this year reflects three promotions to Managing Director, all of whom were male, while the number of women in senior management remains unchanged.

We remain encouraged by the strong gender balance within our mid-management cohort, which provides a solid pipeline for future leadership roles. All promotion decisions continue to be based on merit, performance, and readiness for the next level, supported by a rigorous review process designed to mitigate bias.

AFME is committed to supporting diversity at our events and has issued a pledge.

‘’Diversity is a core value at AFME. We want to create events that represent the diversity of thought and background of members that we serve, so that everyone feels empowered to bring their full authentic selves to our events. We pledge to create panels that are inclusive, striving to promote the talent that exists across the diversity of people within our industry. We will also seek the same level of commitment from events we support or speak at.’’

If anyone has any specific questions about the pledge, they can contact Joanna Montague, Events Director at [email protected]

Supporting women in financial markets remains a key priority for AFME. We continue to maintain a minimum of 30% female representation among keynote speakers, moderators and panellists at AFME events. During the past year, we have also delivered a ‘Women in Compliance’ seminar series with Latham & Watkins, hosted dedicated ‘Women Of’ sessions at our Compliance & Legal and OPTIC conferences, and supported two Women in Banking & Finance webinars focused on mindful leadership and overcoming imposter syndrome. Through these initiatives, we continue to support the development, visibility, and progression of women across the financial services industry.

Our DEI agenda is supported by a dedicated, employee-led working group, bringing together passionate colleagues from across the organisation. The group plays a central role in shaping our priorities, identifying areas for improvement, and driving meaningful, organisation-wide initiatives that strengthen our culture and ensure all voices are heard.

We are committed to creating equal opportunities and broadening access to careers in financial markets. As part of this, we use blind CV screening in our Graduate Placement Programme, helping to reduce unconscious bias in the recruitment process. This approach supports candidates from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and encourages greater gender diversity in what has historically been a male-dominated industry.

We recognise the importance of supporting employees through key life stages and creating an environment where family responsibilities can be balanced with professional development.

We offer enhanced maternity pay for the first 32 weeks of leave, supporting employees during pregnancy and early parenthood and enabling them to take time away from work without financial disadvantage.

We also provide enhanced paternity leave and pay of up to four weeks, encouraging fathers and partners to take an active and equitable role in caring for their newborn child.

We are committed to raising awareness and providing support for colleagues at all stages of their lives and careers. As part of this, we have introduced a dedicated Menopause Policy, aimed at:

1. Supporting employees experiencing menopausal symptoms
2. Reducing stigma and increasing understanding in the workplace
3. Providing clear guidance on the support available