Our focus is on inclusion first, and from this comes diversity.
We are working to build a truly inclusive business – opening up a world of opportunity for our people, our customers, and the wider communities we serve. Our actions are focused on making HSBC UK a place where all our people feel valued, respected and supported to fulfil their full potential.
HSBC UK’s inclusion strategy is focused on three Rs: Representation, Respect and Reputation.
We’re investing in our people, culture and communities, as well as improving our data to remove barriers, innovate and create opportunities for people to grow and succeed.
Learn more about HSBC UK’s Inclusion Strategy (PDF 13.7MB)
Learn more about HSBC’s global approach to inclusion and diversity
How we hire directly influences how diverse we are. We are focused on ensuring our hiring processes continue to be fair, transparent and inclusive for all. This ensures we attract and hire the strongest candidates including those from diverse talent pools and provide a positive candidate experience.
Our actions:Learn more about a career with HSBC UK
We want our leadership teams to better represent the communities we serve. To support this, we are focused on ensuring our development and promotion processes continue to be fair and equitable. We have programmes in place for underrepresented groups to help their progression opportunities.
Our actions:
Learn more about HSBC’s global inclusion commitments and actions
We want everyone to feel included, valued and respected at work. We’re removing potential barriers and building an inclusive environment where difference is celebrated and colleagues choose to stay and develop their careers.
Our actions:
We want all of our colleagues to be consciously inclusive in their interactions with customers and each other. Throughout their career, HSBC UK colleagues have access to a wide range of learning opportunities to help them to increase their awareness of inclusion.
Our actions:
Learn more about how we’re making banking more accessible for our customers
We’re building a more accurate and transparent view of our diversity profile so we can effectively target our actions and measure our progress.
Learn more about HSBC in the UK’s Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap and Representation reporting
The expertise and experiences of our employees is a valuable resource, and we have a great deal to learn from each other.
Our 17 Employee Resource Groups are part of global voluntary networks that bring together colleagues with shared characteristics and common interests. With their shared passion and lived experiences of 18,000 members in the UK, they champion education and awareness programmes, facilitate open discussion on workplace improvements and actively guide our senior leadership.
Groups in the UK include those focused on ability, age, ethnicity, faith, gender, LGBT+, and working parents and carers. Additionally, a wide range of employee communities have been formed, including those focused on flexible working, mindfulness, the military, Chinese society and culture, and Executive Assistants.
HSBC UK works with a wide range of organisations who share our commitment to inclusion and diversity, improving and amplifying the impact of our initiatives and programmes for our people, customers and the wider communities we serve.
We also measure ourselves against the high standards set by experts and industry benchmarks so that we can continuously develop and improve.
Birmingham Pride
With deep roots and headquarters in the West Midlands, HSBC UK is exceptionally proud to be a headline sponsor of Birmingham Pride – the UK’s largest two-day LGBTQ+ festival.
Business Disability Forum
HSBC is a proud partner of the Business Disability Forum (BDF). HSBC UK uses the BDF’s Disability Standard to measure and improve on performance for disabled colleagues, customers, service providers and stakeholders more broadly.
Carers UK
Through our work with Carers UK we have achieved the Carer Confident Standard. This certificate of achievement is presented to employers who have demonstrated that they have built an inclusive workplace where carers are recognised, respected and supported.
Disability Confident
HSBC UK is a Disability Confident Employer within the Department for Work and Pensions Disability Confident Scheme. Through our dedicated workplace adjustments programme, we make reasonable adjustments available to colleagues who need them.
Down Syndrome Association
HSBC UK is working with Down Syndrome Association’s Workfit programme to help job-seekers overcome barriers to employment. In 2021, we welcomed six new colleagues into three-month paid work experience placements at HSBC UK branches in the Midlands and South East.
#Merky Foundation
HSBC has pledged £2m to the #Merky Foundation to support 30 new Stormzy Scholars at the University of Cambridge over three years (2021-23), helping remove barriers to higher education as part of our wider commitment to support racial equality in the UK.
Menopause Friendly Employer
HSBC UK is one of the employers in the UK to receive Menopause Friendly Accreditation, recognising our efforts to build awareness and understanding around menopause and take the wellbeing of our colleagues seriously.
Race at Work Charter
HSBC UK is a founder signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter and its 5 commitments:
Stonewall Workplace Equality Index
HSBC is a proud and active supporter of customers and colleagues across the broad spectrum of diversity of sexuality and gender identity. We assess our achievements and progress on LGBT+ equality against the 10 areas of employment policy and practice set out in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.
Women in Finance Charter
In March 2016, HSBC UK was one of the first signatories to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter. We have met the four pledges to: