The annual index assesses companies on several metrics including equal pay and gender parity, inclusivity and female leadership and talent.

 In 2020, Bloomberg GEI assessed nearly 6,000 companies across 84 countries, with 325 companies included in the index.
 

Madrid, 21 January 2020 - PRESS RELEASE

Santander was confirmed today to have again achieved the highest scores with the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index 2020. Inclusion in Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index (GEI) has become the gold seal for companies around the world to publicly demonstrate their commitment to equality and advancing women in the workplace through policy development, representation and transparency.

The index assessed 6,000 companies across 84 countries, with 325 companies finally included. The companies who have disclosed their gender data account for a combined market capitalisation of over $14 trillion.

The 2020 assessment framework included 75 metrics in five areas: Female Leadership and Talent Dimension; Equal Pay & Gender Pay Parity; Sexual Harassment Policies; Pro-Women Brand and Inclusive Brand. In total Santander achieved a score of 429 out of a possible maximum of 500.

Ana Botín, Santander Executive Chairman, said: “For Santander, publicly disclosing our data through the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index is an important discipline not only in evaluating our internal practices, but also in helping us understand how we are performing relative to our peers. Our continued inclusion in the Index underscores Santander’s ongoing commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all our employees and also to supporting gender equality in our communities.”

Fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace is central to Santander’s culture and values. In 2019 the bank defined diversity and inclusion principles which set minimum standards across Santander’s markets, which are incorporated into the Group’s Board-approved culture policy. The standards aspire to unbiased and inclusive policies, processes, systems and tools, talent management and pay equality.  The bank has publicly committed to increasing the percentage of women in senior management positions to 30%, and to close the gender pay gap by 2025.

The bank also operates a number of initiatives to support its diversity in business, including funds to support SMEs led by women, education and networking opportunities, marketing campaigns and support for entrepreneurs. In 2019 the bank was also recognised as the most sustainable bank in the world in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, as well as becoming a signatory UN Womens’ Empowerment Principles.