Women in Finance Charter
At Unum, we are dedicated to championing the diverse perspectives of the people who interact with us every day. This commitment is a shared responsibility across our organisation.
Our Women in Finance Journey
Signing the Women in Finance Charter in 2016 reinforced our pledge to foster an inclusive culture, benefiting both the present and the future.
Unum UK is proud to share that after raising our targets in 2022, we achieved them ahead of schedule. We aimed for at least 43% female representation in our senior leadership team by the end of 2026—and met this milestone in 2023.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Female talent in total workforce | 55% | 56% | 57% | 57% | 57% |
| Female talent at senior management level (L15+) | 36% | 40% | 40% | 45% | 44.8% |
Driving progress
Since 2023, our Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Strategy has expanded to include Collective Impact, recognising the role we play in shaping our communities and stakeholders. At its core, our strategy prioritises increasing female representation in leadership.
Highlights of our progress:
- Award Recognition: In 2024, we were named the #1 Great Place to Work for Women, a testament to our ongoing efforts as Women in Finance Charter signatories.
- Executive Allyship and Leadership: Our Executive team actively role-modelled allyship and authentic leadership, launching the Allyship Workshop, designed to explore diversity’s impact and the power of allyship in driving inclusion.
- Curious Conversations: Through deeper engagement surveys and safe spaces for dialogue, we gathered meaningful insights to make Unum an even better workplace.
- Targeted Action Plans: Inclusion champions analysed local contexts to implement focused, impactful I&D strategies.
Our upLIFT Gender Equality Network continues to foster community and engagement. In 2024, they hosted global panels for International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day, showcasing allyship and positive male role models. Record-breaking participation was also seen in "Lunch with..." sessions, where female executives shared their journeys to leadership.
We’ve also continued offering employees our Menopause Plan, providing access to specialist doctors and support. Since it’s launch 37 of our employees benefitted from this service (April 22 to August 24).
Women in Finance and the future of work
Unum UK remains committed to creating a workplace that supports work/life balance and collaboration:
- Team Charters: Teams co-designed charters outlining flexibility tailored to their needs.
- Locate for Your Day: Employees can choose their working location based on their day’s requirements, offering flexibility for those with caregiving responsibilities—predominantly women.
- Menopause Coaching: We also offer Menopause coaching which supports women in the workplace to navigate their menopause in all aspects of their life, to achieve a better work/life balance.
Looking ahead
Achieving 43% female representation in our senior leadership team is a milestone we’re proud of—but maintaining and exceeding this target remains our challenge. As a smaller UK organisation, even minor role changes can impact these percentages, and we anticipate significant transitions in the years to come.
We remain steadfast in our focus to uphold and surpass our commitments to the Women in Finance Charter. Together, we’ll continue building an inclusive future.
Please contact Jane Hulme, Unum UK's HR Director.
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