Diversity and Inclusion

Cultural, ethnic, gender, educational and other differences all contribute to our individual thinking and experiences. These differences manifest in how we navigate the business world, including in making complex investment decisions. At Hg we have seen first-hand how a commitment to D&I creates a virtuous cycle: the more inclusive and welcoming we are to difference, the more each individual is able to add value. That, in turn, translates to a greater impact for all our stakeholders – Hg investors, our portfolio companies, employees and the communities where we work and live.

Within Hg we have an established Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group. The Steering Group is made up of a range of individuals from across Hg and its aims are to promote a culture of inclusion that clearly values diversity in all its forms, including a number of global initiatives around gender balance, flexible working, mentoring programmes, training and awareness events.

The Steering Group reports directly into the Hg Board to set the strategy and specific targets on D&I which are checked and updated each financial year. These include, for example,  reaching 30% female employees by March 2021 (achieved in 2020) and 20% female at the senior executive level.

Since creating more focus and responsibility on D&I at Hg, we’ve been amazed at the value this has brought – we can pinpoint examples of deal pitches where our diversity agenda has given us a leading edge over our competitors. Examples like this make us ever more committed to this agenda.

We will build Hg together living our values: Be Genuine. Outlearn. Go Beyond. Win Right. We believe that these core values are what have made Hg perform so well as a firm over the past 20 years. Today, it is what we expect and demand from each other every day. But to live by these values, Hg must maintain an inclusive culture that encourages every individual to bring their whole self to their working life. Without that as an underpinning, the team cannot thrive, which is why we place so much importance in maintaining D&I across the firm.

Private equity investing within the tech sector is highly competitive and to maintain a leading position you must innovate and change with the times. As well as an inclusive environment, Hg believes that we need to recruit, retain and advance a team of the best possible investment and operational talent from the broadest possible pool of candidates.  We also recognise the power of supporting that team with opportunities for advancement, leadership and more. We see D&I as integral in ensuring that we remain innovative and competitive.

Trust and collaboration are the foundation for strong relationships, the underpinning of our work. Our investors entrust us with capital; portfolio companies teams trust us to help them build exceptional organisations; our team members rely on us to foster an environment where they are valued and can add value. Transparent, open exchange on all fronts, with all stakeholders, is the needed yet often missing fuel of a collaborative culture. Hg prides itself on promoting this; the effort has been intentional, the value is realised by all.

“When starting at Hg I was inspired by their passion to begin the conversation and drive to create a truly inclusive culture. Not only was I celebrated, but I was also encouraged to share my own truth. This sense of belonging was a huge surprise in an industry perhaps not typically associated with inclusion and diversity.”

Wesley Dow, Hg Portfolio Team

Find some examples of how Hg has championed D&I initiatives across the firm in the reel below: