Santander registered the highest score in the finance industry and the second highest overall worldwide, which recognizes excellence and commitment to equality.

Santander has obtained a score of 92.87, improving the previous mark in more than two points. The bank has achieved the maximum score on external pro-women brand and anti-sexual harassment policies.

Madrid, 31 January 2023.
Banco Santander has registered a total score of 92.87 in the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), the highest score in the finance industry and the second highest overall among all the companies analyzed. The index recognizes excellence and commitment to equality. 

Ana Botin, Banco Santander Executive Chair, said: “Santander is committed to creating an inclusive environment that benefits all stakeholders. I am proud of the progress we have made but there is a lot more to do in the coming years.”

"Congratulations to the companies that are included in the 2023 GEI", said Peter T. Grauer, chairman of Bloomberg and founding chairman of the U.S. 30% Club. "We continue to see an increase in both interest and membership globally, reflecting a shared goal of transparency in gender-related metrics."  

In 2023 the index includes 484 companies from 11 different industries in 45 countries. Bloomberg measures gender-equality based on five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline; equal pay and gender pay parity; inclusive culture; anti-sexual harassment policies; and pro-women brand. Santander has obtained the maximum score on external pro-women brand and anti-sexual harassment policies.

Santander has implemented several programs and initiatives which aim to close pay gaps among the professionals and increase the percentage of women in senior management positions.  The bank set several years ago targets to have at least 30% of senior management positions to be held by women by 2025. Furthermore, the group achieved its goal to have 40% of its board members to be women in 2019.

Some of the initiatives that the bank has implemented to achieve these targets include: implementation of the Santander Women Network, which already has more than internal 7,000 followers, both men and women; provision of mandatory training on Diversity and Inclusion and unconscious biases in management positions; review of all Human Resources processes to guarantee meritocracy; and introducing the figure of the Bias Champion, whose function is to ensure that unconscious biases that operate in decision-making regarding people in the main processes are avoided, among others. In addition to gender diversity, Santander's strategy includes actions for the inclusion of other underrepresented groups.