Access FS has established a new Equality Council aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion across its mortgage and protection network.
The initiative was unveiled at the firm’s annual conference at Wyboston Lakes in Bedfordshire, attended by around 200 advisers. The council will serve as a forum for driving meaningful change, amplifying underrepresented voices and tackling systemic barriers within the business.
Its objectives include ensuring fair representation for marginalised groups, promoting allyship, and embedding equitable opportunities throughout Access FS’s operations. It will also review company policies, advocate for inclusive practices and hold the business accountable for its diversity and inclusion commitments.
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The council will comprise six members — three staff and three advisers — with adviser representatives rotating quarterly to maintain a flow of new perspectives. Currently, 92% of Access FS advisers are from minority backgrounds, representing 23 national communities, and almost a third of the adviser team are women.
Nick Jones, mortgage sales and marketing director at Access FS, said: “The Equality Council is a pivotal step in our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Its role is to scrutinise what we do, how we do it, and how we can improve to better embrace difference.
“By fostering open dialogue and actionable change, the Equality Council will ensure we not only represent marginalised groups but actively champion their voices.
“We’re taking applications for Equality Council partners at the conference, and we welcome anyone passionate about inclusion to join us in shaping a fairer, more equitable future for Access FS and the wider industry.”
As part of its wider diversity and inclusion strategy, the firm will begin tracking the ethnicity of new and existing team members through an updated HR process, designed to enhance transparency and accountability.
The launch took place during what Access FS described as its most successful business year to date, marking a milestone moment for the brokerage as it continues to expand and strengthen its culture of inclusion.
