Celebrating women and diversity as an asset manager and as a company

At Royal London Asset Management, we proudly celebrate International Women's Day by championing women and promoting diversity in the workplace. Our commitment is reflected in the actions we take both as an asset manager and as a company, continuing to build an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.

In this Q&A Jeffrey Ndeti, Corporate Governance Analyst, and Claire Williams, Head of Culture and Engagement, discuss the importance taking positive action to better support retention, recruitment and progression of women in the workplace

Jeff, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you and your role

Hi, I’m Jeff. Originally from Kenya, I moved to the UK when I was three and now live here with my wife and one-year-old daughter. I’m a Corporate Governance Analyst in the Responsible Investment Team at Royal London Asset Management. In my role, I focus on conducting governance research, proxy voting analysis, and company engagement across Royal London Asset Management’s investments. I also assist with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analysis for our fixed income and equity funds and engage with company directors on topics such as executive pay, succession planning, and sustainability practices.

Women make up half of the world's population, yet in most workplaces, we still don’t see this level of equality reflected.

Why do you think it is important to be an ally to our female colleagues?

Women make up half of the world's population, yet in most workplaces, we still don’t see this level of equality reflected. Studies have shown the potential discount to innovation, risk management, wellbeing, and positive financial outcomes where this is not tackled by companies. It’s my belief that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. As an ally to women everywhere, what matters to me is closing that opportunity gap. 

Tell us about the 30% Club and your role within it

The 30% Club is a global campaign led by business chairpersons and CEOs to increase gender diversity on company boards and senior management teams. Royal London Asset Management, as a member of the club, plays an active role in achieving this aim. Currently, I serve as the Co-Chair of the 30% Club UK Investor working group. My role includes chairing discussions with fellow investor members, providing updates on diversity targets, identifying laggard companies, and driving engagements to address the challenges and progress related to gender diversity at UK businesses.

Why do we need diverse representation on company Boards?

Research indicates that companies with diverse boards tend to outperform those without diversity, both in terms of financial performance and innovation. Having diverse perspectives in the boardroom may lead to more creative problem-solving, better risk management practices, and enhance the reputational brand of firms in understanding their diverse stakeholder communities. Overall, having a diverse board is not about meeting quotas; it's about leveraging the unique insights and experiences of different individuals to drive better business outcomes and create a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

What is Royal London Asset Management doing to improve female representation on the Boards of our investee companies?

At Royal London Asset Management, we are committed to improving female representation on the boards of our investee companies through various initiatives.

• We actively participate in the 30% Club, co-chairing the working group focused on advancing gender diversity at both board and senior management levels at FTSE 350 companies.
• We assess investee companies on how they adhere to our voting guidelines, and we may vote against the Chair of the Board or Chair of the Nomination Committee if the company does not have sufficient diversity on the board.
• Globally, in 2024 we voted against 261 companies for failing to have adequate board diversity (gender or ethnicity).

Q&A with Claire Williams, Head of Culture and Engagement, Royal London

Claire, can you tell us about yourself and your role?

I have worked at Royal London for four years, leading on our People Promise to our colleagues which is we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. I lead on our culture, values, engagement survey, diversity and inclusion and colleague wellbeing. I also lead on how we showcase Royal London externally as an employer of choice in the market. I live in Manchester in the UK with my husband Rik, two teenagers and our dog Betty.

I lead on our culture, values, engagement survey, diversity and inclusion and colleague wellbeing.

What steps have been taken to advance diversity and inclusion within the company?

We continue to drive our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategy and positive action plan forward, with senior leadership team sponsors owning focused local business area D&I action plans that complement our central strategy. We are really pleased that Ed Venner, Chief Client Officer, is leading this for the Royal London Asset Management business.

Our colleague diversity disclosure rate remains high at 89% (as at Jan 2025) and we use this data alongside colleague voice from our engagement survey and four inclusion networks to shape our plans. We are focused on our commitments under the HM Treasury Women in Finance and Race at Work Charters. Our annual Gender Pay Gap Report provides an overview of our gaps and how we are working to reduce them.

We also have four colleague-led inclusion networks that are open to all colleagues across the Group.

How does Royal London Asset Management support colleagues with disabilities and long-term health conditions?

We continue to meet our commitments under our level 2 status as a Disability Confident employer, providing support and adjustments for candidates and colleagues with disabilities, long-term health conditions, and neurodiversity. We are proud members of Inclusive Employers and Neurodiversity in Business, working in partnership to ensure Royal London and the wider industry benefit from best practices.

What initiatives and events have been part of your People Commitments calendar?

Our People Promise to our colleagues is we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. Our People Commitments, agreed each year by our Executive Group and shaped by colleague feedback in our engagement surveys help focus our actions here. Our People Commitments for 2025 are ‘Empowered Development’, ‘Mutual Benefit’ and ‘Connected Community’.

Our People Commitment calendar of inclusion activities and events bring our People Promise to life for our colleagues, designed in collaboration with our colleague-led inclusion networks and Mental Health First Aider volunteers. Looking back across 2024, we supported our colleagues to attend three Pride events in Edinburgh, Dublin, and Manchester.

We also celebrated a range of inclusion events including International Men’s and International Women’s Day, World Mental Health Day, World Menopause Day, Black History Month and South Asian Heritage Month. We also celebrated National Inclusion Week in September, which included an ally session for colleagues in collaboration with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) where we further extended our reciprocal mentoring programme. 2025 got off to a great start with colleagues joining a conversation with Paralympian Nathan MacQueen and a range of activities to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month. 

What new programmes have been launched to support diverse talent and colleague wellbeing?

We launched the third phase of our Career Confidence programme for 175 colleagues in January 2025, focused on diverse talent. We also launched our new interactive mentoring platform to encourage partnerships. We were also delighted to launch a new colleague community support group for parents and carers. Our volunteer Mental Health First Aiders have collaborated on a range of wellbeing events focused on physical, mental, and financial health.

How does Royal London Group and Royal London Asset Management report its D&I progress?

We report our D&I progress through external publications, including our Annual Report and Accounts, Gender Pay Gap annual reporting, and HM Treasury Women in Finance charter annual reporting.

Can you share any recent recognitions or awards related to your D&I efforts?

Our colleagues and our culture have been recognised externally with Royal London shortlisted for some key employer awards over the past 12 months including at the Women in Tech Employer awards, Diversity in Finance Awards, PIMFA D&I Awards and the Professional Adviser Women in Financial Advice Awards.

At the Women in Tech Employer Awards 2024, we were named Best Employer for Training, for the development and impact of our Career Confidence programmes for our colleagues. We are also a finalist in the Northern Power Awards 2025 for our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and waiting to hear outcomes at their award event in March!

In December 2024, we were recognised at the Citywire Gender Diversity Awards 2024 for our exceptional commitment to gender diversity, winning the award for "Best Gender Diversity Initiative" in the category of asset management companies with 20-49 fund managers. This recognition highlights our efforts in promoting gender diversity through various initiatives, such as mentorship programs, flexible working arrangements, and targeted recruitment strategies aimed at increasing female representation in leadership roles.

To find out more

Read our Proxy voting guidelines   

Learn about Inclusion and diversity at Royal London Group

For professional investors only.  This material is not suitable for a retail audience. Capital at risk. This is a financial promotion and is not investment advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and any income from them may go down as well as up and is not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount invested. The views expressed are those of the author at the date of publication unless otherwise indicated, which are subject to change, and is not investment advice.