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 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 D&I Steering Group. The Steering Group is made up of a range of individuals from across the firm; its aim is to promote a culture of inclusion that clearly values diversity in all its forms. We have a number of global initiatives – gender balance, flexible working, mentoring programmes, training and awareness events – to drive internal change.
Our Steering Group reports directly to the Hg Board to set the strategy and outcomes, which are checked and updated – a signal of both our commitment and belief in continuous improvement. Reaching 30% female employees by March 2021 (achieved in 2020) and 20% female at the senior executive level are two recent areas of concentration.
Since creating more focus and responsibility on D&I at Hg, we’ve been amazed at the value realised. We can pinpoint examples of deal pitches where our diversity agenda has given us a leading edge over our competitors, and how we’ve analysed and conducted due diligence. Examples like this make us ever more committed to this strategic effort.