Keith Richards: How quotas can help address gender inequality

Countering 'unconscious bias'

In the first of a two-part interview, Personal Finance Society (PFS) chief executive Keith Richards talks to Hannah Godfrey about diversity in financial advice, how the profession is moving forward, and the role quotas can play in addressing inequality.

The issue of diversity - particularly with reference to gender equality - has moved firmly to the top of the agenda of financial services businesses over the course of the last 12 months. The government's request that firms with 250 or more employees publish data comparing the remuneration of men and women, for example, shone an overdue spotlight on pay inequality. Time and again, data was published that showed a clear gender pay gap between men and women that could mostly be attributed to men holding more senior, well-paid positions.  Despite the largely negative headlines that ha...