Background

In September 2021, Vicky Davies was appointed as the first female CEO in the bank’s 200+ year history. The bank’s Board and Executive Committee have achieved a 40% female gender balance, the highest in its history. Under Vicky’s leadership, the bank is guided by a clear purpose of helping customers, colleagues, and society thrive.

What Danske Bank did

To achieve its vision and the objective of becoming the best place to work, Danske Bank prioritised equality, diversity, and conscious inclusion (EDI). It developed an EDI strategy called ‘Danske Belong,’ which is embedded in the organisation’s culture and practices, including policies, wellbeing, reward & recognition, and marketing. The bank actively promotes and supports diversity and inclusion in various ways, both internally and externally.

Outcomes and Impacts

• Awards and Recognitions: Recognised by Best Companies UK as a three-star ‘world-class’ organisation and achieved several top rankings, such as No. 1 Large Employer in NI, No. 1 financial services company in the UK, and No. 8 Large Employer in the UK.
• Business Performance: With an operating profit of £103 million in 2022, it was ranked as the Top Large Company to work for in NI, the Top Financial services company to work for in the UK, and the 8th best Large Company to work for in the UK.
• Employee Engagement: Achieved ‘world-class’ levels of engagement in the Best Companies survey, with an 86% voluntary participation rate. 90% of colleagues felt they truly ‘belong,’ showing a 9% increase from the previous year.
• Diversity and Inclusion Targets: 40% female representation in Grade 8+ roles by December 2024 and 40% male representation at all GDN events by December 2024.
• Community and Society Benefits: Active engagement with the community and society, supporting various initiatives, including working with charities, supporting LGBTQI+ inclusion, promoting racial equality, and making Banking accessible for all.
• Knowledge Sharing: Shares its diversity and inclusion initiatives and experiences with external businesses through speaking at conferences, webinars, and roundtable events.

Overall, Danske Bank’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has resulted in positive impacts on its business performance, employee engagement, and societal contributions. The bank’s efforts to share knowledge and support other organisations in adopting similar practices demonstrate its commitment to driving meaningful change beyond its own organisation.

What the Judges said

“Putting people at the heart of all it does, Danske demonstrated an authentic value-driven approach to D&I through an intersectional lens. Its work to promote awareness to members of the LGBTQIA+ community through primary education is positively pushing boundaries. Finally, the bank’s recognition of untapped talent through ethnic minority work was impressive.”