PIMFA delighted to announce winners in first Diversity & Inclusion Awards

21 October 2021

PIMFA delighted to announce winners in first Diversity & Inclusion Awards

PIMFA, the trade association for wealth management, investment services and the investment and financial advice industry, is delighted to announce the winners of its inaugural industry Diversity & Inclusion Awards (see below).

Launched earlier in May, PIMFA’s industry awards received close to 100 entries and come at a time when the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has made it clear that diversity and inclusion within financial services is a key area of focus which could become a regulatory matter in the future.

The Awards were sponsored by Royal London, Fidelity International, Worksmart, Morningstar, Raymond James Investment Services, Interactive Investor, Mapped Marketing, Sesame Bankhall Group, Howden Insurance Brokers, IFA Magazine and Citywire and held at Fidelity International’s central London headquarters. The event was streamed live online and showcased the best Diversity and Inclusion initiatives from around the UK’s financial services industry.

The winners were chosen by a group of industry peers, alongside experts in diversity and inclusion from charities that PIMFA partner with. The judges included Richard Wilson, Chief Executive of Interactive Investor; Peter Moores, Chief Executive of Raymond James Investment Services; Andrew Croft, Chief Executive of St. James’s Place Wealth Management; Jennifer Mathias, Chief Finance Officer at Rathbones; Theresa Heaton, Head of Change at Brown Shipley; Matt Cameron, Global Managing Director at LGBT Great and Bev Shah, Chief Executive & Founder at City Hive and others.

The judges praised the overall quality of the entries to this year’s awards which they said demonstrated how committed firms are to improving diversity and inclusion in the sector.

The winners in each awards category were:  

1. Inclusive Talent Management Award – Small Firm (Sponsored by Morningstar) 

Highly Commended:  Coriolis Technologies

Winner: ammonite

2. Inclusive Talent Management Award – Medium Firm (Sponsored by: Mapped Marketing)

Winner: Financial Services Compensation Scheme

3. Inclusive Talent Management Award – Large Firm (Sponsored by: Sesame Bankhall Group)

Winner: HSBC UK

4. Best D&I Initiative Award (Sponsored by: Worksmart)

Highly Commended: Coutts

Winner: LGT Vestra

5. Best Approach to Wellbeing Award (Sponsored by: Royal London)

Highly Commended: Redmayne Bentley LLP

Winner: The Openwork Partnership

6. Rising Talent Award (Sponsored by: Raymond James Investment Services)

Highly Commended: Hamish Dudgeon – 7IM

Winner: Amy Kirby – Rathbones

7. Overall D&I Champion Awards (Sponsored by: interactive investor)

Highly Commended: Richard Charnock – abrdn

Winner: Fabio Peyer – Morningstar

Liz Field, Chief Executive of PIMFA, commented: “Diversity and Inclusion is a strategic priority for PIMFA because it is a strategic priority for our members. I’m absolutely delighted for the winners of our first Diversity & Inclusion awards and want to wish them all my congratulations. There were some truly great D&I initiatives shortlisted for the awards, so it was not easy for our judges to select those organisations and people who eventually won.

“The number and quality of the entries have shown that as an industry we are making inroads into becoming more diverse and inclusive, and that we are focused on promoting talent wherever it comes from. That so many firms and individuals have taken the time to demonstrate the work they are doing to improve Diversity & Inclusion across our industry is proof that this is an issue that is being taken seriously by all of us, large and small.

“But as I have said before this is just the start of the journey and there is much that we can learn from each other through these awards. There is not one single ‘right’ approach as our award entries illustrate, but as an industry we are making great strides to equip ourselves for a diverse and inclusive future. PIMFA’s Diversity & Inclusion Awards will aim to continue to celebrate those people, and those organisations, that are working hard to ensure our industry better represents the wider society it aims to serve.”

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About PIMFA – the Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association

• Those that would like to view the virtual awards ceremony can still do so here.
• Find out more about PIMFA’s other D&I work here
• PIMFA is the trade association for firms that provide investment management, investment services and advice to everyone from individuals and families to charities, pension funds, trusts and companies.
• The sector currently looks after £1.65 trillion in private savings and investments and employs over 63,000 people.
• PIMFA represents both full and associate member firms. Full members provide a range of financial solutions including financial advice, portfolio management, as well as investment and execution services. They assist everyone from individuals, and families, to charities and pension funds, all the way to trusts and companies.  Associate members provide professional services to the PIMFA community.
• PIMFA leads the debate on policy and regulatory recommendations to ensure that the UK remains a global centre of excellence in the wealth management, investment advice and financial planning arena. Our mission is to create an optimal operating environment so that its member firms can focus on delivering the best service to clients, providing responsible stewardship for their long-term savings and investments.
• PIMFA has made numerous recommendations to the FCA regarding the Future of Advice, the Future of Supervision, & the FSCS levy – read more.
• PIMFA was created in 2017 as the outcome of a merger between the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) and the Wealth Management Association (WMA) with a history as a trade association since 1991 – read more.
• Further information can be found at pimfa.co.uk

Contact

For further information on this release or other press matters please contact:

Matthew West, PIMFA PR Manager – MatthewW@pimfa.co.uk, +44 (0)20 7382 0376

Sheena Gillett, PIMFA Communications & PR Director – sheenag@pimfa.co.uk, +44 (0)20 7011 9869 / +44 (0)7979 493225