UK lawmaker Nicky Morgan wrote to 33 financial-services firms including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and UBS Group AG asking why they haven’t signed on to a government-backed charter committing them to filling more senior management positions with women.
Morgan, chairman of the treasury select committee, is pressuring the firms about their commitment to a more gender-balanced financial-services industry. More than 160 companies have already signed on to the Women in Finance Charter, which recommends companies strive to have 30% of senior roles filled by women by 2021.
“The progress of the Women in Finance Charter is to be welcomed,” Morgan said in a statement. “The aim, however, must be to see all firms in the financial sector sign up to the Charter and make a concerted effort to improve their gender diversity, particularly in senior roles.” Virgin Money chief executive officer Jayne-Anne Gadhia led a government-backed review that found women made up only 14% of financial-services firms’ executive committees. The review, published in 2016, recommended creating the voluntary charter, which asks firms to publish annual progress reports on their efforts.
A JPMorgan spokeswoman said the bank was committed to the goals set out in the charter and was in discussions about signing up. A UBS spokesman said they also supported the principles underpinning the charter and were considering joining. Goldman Sachs plans to join, a person familiar with the situation said last month.


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