Masthaven Bank has become a signatory of the Women in Finance Charter.

The Charter asks financial services firms to work together to create a gender balance at all levels by pledging to implement four key industry actions, including setting internal targets for gender diversity in senior management and publishing progress annually against these targets.

The Bank, which was awarded its banking licence in 2016, has launched a number of initiatives that champion gender diversity in recent years, including its ‘Women in Leadership’ and ‘Emerging Leaders’ programmes. These programmes, which are delivered in collaboration with WDI Consulting, are designed to support growing numbers of women in senior and managerial positions at the bank with resources that will assist their career development.

As it stands, women comprise 47% of staff at Masthaven, holding 34% of all senior management positions and making up 33% of the bank’s board.

Tricia Halpin, chief people officer at Masthaven, said: “The Women in Finance Charter enshrines the values that Masthaven lives by. As an organisation, we understand the need to prioritise diversity and inclusion, which is why we’ve invested in our people. The Bank has launched initiatives to support women in their career development and ensure everyone shares in the company’s success.

“Diversity, of all kinds, is well known to benefit businesses. Diverse viewpoints spark innovation, and a wide range of perspectives means we can better support our customers from all walks of life. Diversity and inclusion need to be at the top of the agenda for every organisation and we’re proud to be signing the Women in Finance Charter as we commit to encouraging female talent across the business.”