abrdn launches 2021 diversity and inclusion report

We've published our 2021 diversity and inclusion report, giving our clients and colleagues a snapshot of the progress we’re making against our targets and action plans.

Through our report we aim to show the breadth and depth of our commitment to diversity and inclusion – how we make this an integral part of what we do as an employer and as an investor. Many of our action plans are led locally by leaders across our regions, and a number of them offer their own perspectives in the report.

Transparency is one of the ways in which we aim to drive progress, and our 2021 report highlights how we’re improving the quality of diversity data we share. For the first time this includes gender and ethnicity data for our business in the US, known as EEO-1 data. Publishing this data was one of our commitments when we joined the Corporate Call to Action – an initiative that aims to establish long-term, measurable efforts for tackling racial injustice, unlocking economic opportunities in underserved communities, and advancing prosperity for all.

Lynne Connolly, Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity, said:

“Diversity and inclusion doesn’t come with a start and an end point. It’s a sustained and progressive journey which changes and adapts to meet the needs of colleagues, communities, industries and economies around the world.

It’s encouraging to see collective efforts across our industry, but progress in many areas remains simply too slow. Events in the past 18 months have shown how much more there is to do to tackle long-standing systemic inequalities around the world.

We’ve made good progress at abrdn, but there is more to do – and we’re focused on increasing the momentum for everyone who counts on us to build better, more inclusive futures.”

Our diversity and inclusion report also follows the news that a recent survey confirmed abrdn to have the highest percentage of female fund managers of any large firm with more than 100 fund managers. The Citywire Alpha Female Report, now in its sixth year, incorporates data from over 16,000 active managers and more than 25,000 actively managed funds globally. This is an industry-wide endorsement of our diversity and inclusion approach and demonstrates the progress we are making in improving overall gender parity.

Stephen Bird, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“One of the most sustainable things we can do is to enable talent to thrive. I’m proud that we have some of the best people in our industry at abrdn, and I’m especially pleased that we are leading the way on gender parity in our fund manager roles, with nearly a quarter of those roles being held by women. Our future will be driven by making sure the diverse perspectives and experiences that our colleagues bring are reflected in the decisions we make, in our investment process and as we continue to shape new ways of working. That’s what helps us all to be at our best.”