Equal Pay in the UK While Women “Bond” Across the Pond
On Monday, July 11, the UK Government announced that it will advocate for advancing women to senior roles within the financial services industry. Many buy-side firms have come forth supporting the “women in finance charter” ̶ pledging at least one senior executive who would oversee the implementation of the charter’s guidelines within their firms.
And on July 13, Open Door Trading announced that it is launching “the first woman owned bond platform in the U.S.” Susan Estes, Open Door Trading Co-founder stated that, “It has only been possible to get to this stage ̶ and address the most significant pain points within a new market structure ̶ because of consistent input from participants,” reports Hayley McDowell from The Trade.
These two announcements come within weeks of the White House State of Women Summit held on June 14 in Washington DC. It was a content-rich program with a long list of impressive women, from rising stars to accomplished professionals and celebrities, co-hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.
From the White House State of Women Summit to the UK’s women in finance charter and now the first woman owned U.S. bond platform, we are optimistic that real change is within arm’s reach. Specific goals and action items are currently being put in place to ensure a more equal and diverse workplace, and STA Women in Finance (STA WIF) is committed to the same goal.
The STA WIF Committee is eager to pursue similar initiatives in the U.S. and Canada. We are currently preparing for our first-ever Women in Finance Symposium this September, as a precursor to the STA 83rd Annual Market Structure Conference. The underlying theme of the WIF Symposium is communication relating to career advancement and salary negotiation.
We hope to see you there, and that you join us in our efforts for women in finance.