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Gender diversity as a human issue Gender diversity is not just a women’s issue to fix, says ING’s Glenn Gibson, who encourages men to become actively involved in the push for equality
CHAMPIONING GENDER diversity is something everyone should be doing, regardless of the gender you identify as, says ING’s head of retail, Glenn Gibson. In the banking industry, around 90% of CEOs are male; that means men need to be involved in conversations to encourage greater female representation. The same goes for the mortgage broking
act on,” he says. “Men need to be fighting to make the change, otherwise we will not get anywhere.” Gibson says that while it is great to see men moving beyond simply attending the right events, and that there have been more male voices taking part in the discussion, there is still more that can be done.
“How will we ever achieve gender equality if men aren’t actively educating themselves on the lived experiences of their female colleagues?” Glenn Gibson, ING industry, in which women make up around 27% of brokers. Gibson believes progress has been made in the industry, but there is still a long way to go, and he adds that the most important thing is to recognise that gender diversity is “not just a women’s issue to fix”. “This statistic cannot be ignored, and it’s one that men need to acknowledge and
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“This includes questioning or calling out when diversity isn’t taken into consideration – not only attending women’s industry events but, better still, organise one; find or create a diversity group; actively include women in conversations and ask them for their opinions,” he says. “More than anything, be vocal when you don’t see others displaying the right behav-
iours. As the quote goes, the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”
Diversity is better for everyone Supporting and encouraging diversity in the industry is not just the right thing to do, Gibson adds. It better equips the industry for success. Not only does a diverse and inclusive workplace ensure that everyone feels comfortable enough to be their authentic self at work; it is also one that customers want to do business with. “This is because it’s equipped to relate to the experiences and perspectives of its customers, who all come from different walks of life.” Gibson says a balanced workforce is “better for everyone”, and it’s not just gender diversity that’s important. He points to sexuality, nationality, demographic and age. “Having a wide range of attitudes, beliefs and simply life experiences in your business means you can think differently,” he says. “It’s important that everyone looks at their business and considers where they could make a change to have a more balanced model. Customers are all different,
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