ICAEW was proud to host a HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter signatory event at Chartered Accountants’ Hall on 30 June 2026, bringing together leaders from across financial services to celebrate the Charter’s tenth anniversary and reflect on a decade of progress towards greater gender balance in senior leadership.
The event welcomed representatives from the Charter’s more than 400 signatory firms, representing around 1.1 million employees globally. Attendees heard from senior leaders across government and industry, including Rachel Blake MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury; Gwyneth Nurse, Director General for Financial Services at HM Treasury; Dame Debbie Crosbie, CEO of Nationwide and Women in Finance Champion; and ICAEW President Caroline Smale.
A key moment of the event was the launch of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter 10-Year Review, produced and presented by HM Treasury's data partner, New Financial, which highlighted both the progress made and the challenges that remain.
Progress through accountability
Since its launch in 2016, the Charter has encouraged organisations to set targets, measure progress and hold senior leaders accountable for improving gender diversity.
The review revealed that female representation in senior management has increased from 29% to 37%, while the number of women in senior management roles has grown from 14,800 to 39,200 over the past decade.
A recurring theme throughout the event was the importance of data and transparency in driving change. Speakers repeatedly emphasised that "what gets measured gets done", highlighting that accountability remains one of the most effective tools for accelerating progress.
However, while representation continues to rise, speakers acknowledged that progress has been slower than hoped. At the current rate of change, gender parity in senior leadership is not expected to be reached until 2054, underlining the need for continued focus and action.
Diversity as a business advantage
Panel discussions reinforced the growing evidence that diverse leadership teams drive stronger organisational performance.
Steve Collinson, Chief HR & Sustainability Officer at Zurich Insurance UK, shared how Zurich has achieved gender parity in senior leadership, with women now representing more than half of senior leaders within the organisation. He described diversity not simply as an inclusion goal, but as a competitive advantage that supports productivity, talent retention and more balanced decision-making.
The discussion highlighted that representation alone is not enough. Inclusive cultures, visible role models and sustainable governance mechanisms are equally important in ensuring progress is maintained over the long term.
Speakers also noted that leadership diversity influences how organisations are perceived by current and future talent. Visible representation signals opportunity and inclusion, helping organisations attract and retain a broader range of people.
Looking ahead
As the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter enters its second decade, the focus is shifting towards even greater use of data, evidence and accountability to drive progress.
The event reinforced a number of key lessons: data drives accountability, accountability drives change, and inclusive leadership leads to better business outcomes. Most importantly, diversity should be viewed not only as a social imperative but as a strategic driver of long-term organisational success.
Supporting women leaders of the future
One of the most powerful messages from the event came from Dame Debbie Crosbie, who reflected on the sponsors and advocates who helped shape her career. She highlighted the importance of leaders who champion talent, open doors and encourage individuals to step into new opportunities, reinforcing the vital role sponsorship plays in developing future leaders.
At ICAEW, we are committed to helping organisations build diverse leadership pipelines through our Women in Leadership Programme. The programme equips aspiring and established women leaders with the confidence, skills and networks needed to maximise their impact and progress their careers.
Whether you are looking to invest in your own leadership development or support the growth of a talented colleague, the programme offers an opportunity to accelerate leadership potential. Organisations can sponsor women within their teams to participate, while individuals can also enrol directly and benefit from practical leadership development, peer learning and expert insight.
For organisations looking to develop larger groups of leaders, ICAEW can also deliver the programme in-house, tailoring the learning experience to align with organisational objectives, leadership frameworks and talent development strategies.
As the conversations throughout the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter event demonstrated, accelerating progress requires more than targets alone. It requires organisations to actively develop, support and champion future leaders. Programmes such as Women in Leadership play an important role in helping turn that ambition into action.
Women in Leadership
Find out more about ICAEW's Women in Leadership Programme and how it supports current and future women leaders.
