Case Study: Training and Development - HSBC Bank PLC

HSBC’s strategy on gender was developed following the first-of-its-kind global research findings across the group. The purpose of the research was to determine the perceived and actual barriers to women reaching (or wanting to reach) senior management.

As a result a range of initiatives were introduced to increase female representation at senior management level.

The representation of women at senior management level increased by 6% between 2004 and 2006.

A number of initiatives have been successfully implemented:

• A Senior Women’s Mentoring Programme was piloted in 2006 with 41 senior women from across the UK bank. Building on this success and following consultation, a wider mentoring programme was launched in February 2007 for all managers across the business. Over 180 senior managers have signed up to become mentors and over 200 junior and middle managers have formed a mentoring relationship.
• Following the successful Senior Women’s Development Programme pilot in 2006, a course is now available to all senior women across the UK. The content of the programme has been developed in consultation with female middle managers, with topics including business strategy and career planning.
• In response to feedback from employees, a job share register was introduced in March 2007 to enable individuals to search for job share partners who match their requirements. The register is also a tool that can be accessed by managers at all levels of the business.
• At the beginning of 2007 a Global Diversity Team was appointed to drive the bank’s diversity strategy across the HSBC Group A global review is under way and will feed in to future policy developments along with feedback from the global Senior Women’s Summit pilot in 2006.