The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has revealed an increase in women in its senior management roles, achieving 48 per cent female representation at senior management level.  

The PFF previously signed the HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter, a commitment to improve gender balance across the financial services sector at every level.

Its goal was to have 40 per cent of female senior managers by 2021 and by August 2020, this goal had already been surpassed as it had 42.4 per cent of female senior managers.

Given this, the PPF increased its target to achieve 45 per cent by December 2023.

However, it had not met its target at that point in time and extended it to March 2025, to coincide with its current strategic objectives. 

As of August 2024, it exceeded this target, with the PPF’s female representation at senior management standing at 48 per cent.

The PPF said that its “ultimate long-term goal” is to achieve gender parity and remained positive that it would be able to surpass its 45 per cent target, despite having a small senior leadership team where a change in one role can have a big impact. 

Women make up half of the PPF’s board and executive committee and are supportive of its goal to improve gender balance across other levels of the organisation.

The PPF said it would continue to measure and publish its performance against its targets on its website, in addition to reporting its gender pay gap and gender bonus gap as part of its diversity pay gap report.

In addition to this, the PFF said it was nurturing its future female leaders through Empowering Women, a network that provides an open forum where topics can be discussed in a safe and confidential environment. 

The organisation is also supporting women through mentoring women at more junior levels to help with personal development.

The PPF work alongside other organisations in the financial services sector to tackle industry-wide issues affecting representation.

It also has a partnership with Investment 20/20 that allows them to work with local schools to introduce young people to careers in investment.

Furthermore, the PPF has partnered with Career Returners to support individuals returning to work after extended career breaks.

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