Closing the gap: Gender lens investing and the future of finance

PUBLIC perception of gender equality issues runs in a repetitive cycle. We’ve all seen it. A scandal breaks out, or a study discovers yet another damaging disparity. Think pieces are written, hands are wrung, and companies promise to do better. Then the public’s attention moves on until another cycle starts. Actual change comes very slowly, if at all.

This is especially true in the world of investing and investment funding. These are male-dominated fields where inequality grows more and more lopsided the higher up you go. These are well-known issues, and many firms have declared their intention to address various forms of inequality, both in their behaviour as employers and in their influence as investors. But again, change comes slowly. So, what’s the best way to move forward?

While hiring more women, especially in positions of real influence, is important, it isn’t enough. In finance and investment, the most powerful approach to achieving parity may be gender lens investing.