How CFA Society South Africa is driving gender diversity in investment management

Across global markets, women are a minority in investment management, making them the “universal diversifier”. Through its support and promotion of the CFA Institute’s global Women in Investment Management Initiative, by encouraging gender diversity in investment management, CFA Society South Africa aims to improve investor outcomes.

The initiative is driven through various committees and volunteers, and the aim is to:

• retain women in the profession and influence culture from within;
• create demand for diversity as an industry imperative; and
• increase the number of women who join the profession and earn the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation.

What you can do to effect change and make a difference

Increase awareness: Despite the growing body of evidence showing the business case for diversity, many investors lack awareness of how gender-diverse teams can affect investment outcomes positively. Share research findings in your professional and educational networks.

Diversity at every level: Homogeneity is counter to investment performance. Teams constructed to intentionally include diverse perspectives have been shown to deliver better results in terms of risk and return.

Start early: Encourage women to pursue an education and career in investment management. Talk about the CFA charter as a global passport for career success. Share research, business cases and stories of how women are making a difference.

Understand that women may advocate for themselves differently from men. Research shows that women advance when they have sponsors who advocate on their behalf and mentors who provide career advice and guidance.

Engage with this initiative: Attend related events and spread the word. Find out about new events and research at www.cfainstitute.org/wim.

This article was paid for by the CFA Society South Africa.