Global Financial Institutions Progressing in Gender Balance, says UK Report

• New report unveils global financial institutions being only halfway there to achieving gender balance
• Only three institutions have scored 100 in Gender Balance Index

A new report has been published by a London-based platform, Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum in collaboration with US money manager Franklin Templeton that states global financial institutions continue to remain less than partway for achieving gender balance in their workforce, despite documenting the remarkable upgrade since 2021 in the midst of a reverberation against North America’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The report says their average score has increased from 37 in 2024 to 42 in 2025 in the Gender Balance Index (GBI) by Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum compilation. This report tracks women’s representation in 335 institutions that includes central banks, commercial banks, pension funds and sovereign wealth funds.

With 58% scoring higher than last year, commercial banks led the charge, being likely as a result of policies and efforts that is dedicated towards empowering the initiatives over the past 10 years. As per the report, a total of three institutions i.e., Banco Central de Chile, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Norges Bank Investment Management that achieved perfect scores of 100.

“The talent pipeline only shows modest gains,” while the GBI scores have improved. The report has added that US anti-DEI moves may cause contagion, worldwide. It states, “Even more concerning is that this modest progress is at risk, given the political climate in 2025 and growing backlash against [DEI] efforts.”