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By building a culture of D & I within Barclays , it simply enables us to make better choices for us and our people , and a stronger business for our stakeholders . Ultimately , it ’ s just the right thing to do .
Last year , Barclays announced ‘ inclusion in race ’ champions to be embedded in all business units , along with mandatory race and ethnicity training . Thinking of the raciallycharged past 12 months , how has this project developed this year ? And how has it been received by your employees ?
Wasn ’ t last year a wake-up call for many in a hugely challenging way ? Supporting our Black and ethnically diverse colleagues is hugely important to Barclays . What it enabled was a real catalyst for change , for us , really accelerating our activity around understanding what our Black colleagues want and need , particularly in the UK and US . We do have already a very embedded network focusing on cultural ethnicity which is called Embrace , which is Barclays ’ multicultural network . But it really enabled us to provide some genuine push and charge behind building a Race at Work action plan that was launched in October 2020 .
The plan comprises of a set of action points that enables new opportunities for us to attract , grow , develop and create an environment for Black and ethnically diverse colleagues . An opportunity to develop and grow , and an appreciation of what they want to see from an employer . So there ' s been lots of work around education across the platforms and we ’ ve hired individuals to help engage around what our Black and ethnically diverse colleagues want and need . And we ' ll look to push and expand that . In 2021 , this was particularly focused on our Black colleagues , but now it ' s been developed , rightly so , across all of our ethnically diverse colleagues . We ' re now thinking about how we branch our approach out to our customers , our clients and communities as well , and really connecting .
Absolutely , it ' s not just how you deal with these issues in silo , it ' s everybody that ' s around you , who you work with , even your suppliers .
I guess it ' s very similar to the intersectionality comments – identifying and understanding a diverse and inclusive society . We have very mature strategies around gender and around our LGBT + network , Spectrum . We brought that energy to ethnic diversity , which we ' ve been pursuing for the past 12 months . There has been some fantastic work that ' s already been done there previously . But again , last year , for Barclays it was a real wake-up call that we have to stand tall across our global communities and stand up for something that ' s right .
Fantastic to hear that progress . So you ' ve been with Barclays for over two decades , spanning multiple roles and geographies . And having been in the Singapore country management role for just over a year already , what have been some of the highlights in your journey for leading D & I at the workplace ?
Singapore already , as a country , is a hugely diverse community , with different ages , genders , physical abilities , ethnicities , cultures and religions . As well as the work that we do with the Chamber , there ' s an opportunity to work within the Singaporean community to raise awareness around how inclusivity and diversity is a critical component for what the country can achieve in the future . I think the key angle around all of that for me is the employees . People want and need to identify with what their employer is doing more so than their contractual obligations , I think they need to identify with the firm ’ s values , because that ' s where you get connectivity . People look for the prospect of having an employer that enables you to be who you are , without having to hide anything . And it ’ s great for business , because it increases productivity and retention . But equally as well , it ' s good for the employee because they know that they can be themselves without fear or recriminations in their career development and opportunities . That ' s something that we continue to strive for in our global strategy .
From a Singapore perspective , the highlights for us include the work we do with the Chamber and the committees . I had the privilege , as you know , of sitting on that leadership chair for a couple of years alongside Andrew Ashman ( current chair of the
Chamber ’ s D & I committee ). Just seeing the development of that committee and how Singapore is developing its D & I approach is fantastic . How it ’ s thinking around gender , unconscious bias , LGBT + rights is absolutely fantastic . But still , there ’ s such a long way to go . I think that ' s why it ' s imperative that companies like Barclays , in Singapore , and wherever we are globally , continues to be active in its support for D & I by supporting communities , helping to educate and helping other companies appreciate the importance of having an inclusive environment . That ’ s something that I ' m committed to doing as Country CEO . I ' m very keen that we continue the path of having internally a very strong D & I culture , which we have , supporting the networks where possible , but that we also continue to support the communities in which we operate in .
We ' ve also done a lot of work externally , supporting the community but really engendering an environment that is supportive in Singapore , and that ’ s something we ' ll continue to do . We were recently voted 6th in the Straits Times Singapore ’ s Best Employers Award ; the only bank in the top 10 . That ranking is voted for by employees , former employees and recommendations , so the external marketplace has recognised Barclays as a good employer . And I think it ' s primarily driven by our culture , that we ' ve developed a very supportive and inclusive framework that makes it a good place for employees to be .
We ’ ve discussed this in the committee … the purpose of a D & I committee should ultimately be to make sure it ' s no longer needed .
IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR :
ALEXANDER HARRISON , COUNTRY CEO , SINGAPORE & HEAD OF CORPORATE BANKING , ASIA PACIFIC AND MIDDLE EAST , BARCLAYS