Diversity, equality and inclusion

We reflect our communities

We believe it’s important that Metro Bank represents the communities we serve; this is the foundation of our community banking model.

Ensuring our inclusive culture is embedded within our values has meant that the Metro Bank workforce is representative of the ethnic minority mix of the UK workforce, and that almost half of our colleagues are female. This is industry leading within financial services, and something we are very proud of.

As signatories to the Women in Finance charter since 2018, we continue exceeding the Hampton-Alexander Review target of 33%. We are also signed up to the Race at Work Charter. The Charter sets out seven actions to improve the representation of all colleagues at all levels, and one of these actions is to take steps towards capturing ethnicity data. ​

We are confident that whilst there is work to do, our commitment to diversity and inclusion will ensure we continue to reflect the communities we serve and be the number one community bank through our truly inclusive culture.

Diversity at every level

As at 31 December 2023

How big is our gender pay gap?

Proportion of female and male colleagues by pay quartile

The charts below show the gender distribution and pay gap at Metro Bank across the four pay quartiles:

Proportion of female and male colleagues who received a bonus

As at 5 April 2023

Review of our methodology

As part of the preparation for this year’s analysis (snapshot date 5 April 2023), we reviewed our historical approach against best practice and the UK Government’s guidance.  We discovered that our interpretation of the guidance was not as representative as it could have been, including how pension contributions and allowances in lieu of pension were treated for gender pay gap reporting purposes.

As a result of this, we have refined our methodology and have restated our figures for 2022.

What is influencing Metro Bank’s gender pay gap results this year?

There are several factors that influence our figures, and it is difficult to be certain what specifically affects change year-on-year. Demographic related factors (e.g. hiring patterns such as the balance between females versus males), the timing of individual pay increases, the number of part-time colleagues and overtime levels will have an impact.

However, there are a few specific factors in the last year which are likely to have had a more direct one-off impact on the bank’s results in the year ending 5 April 2023.

• Impact of hiring more junior female talent
• Gender representation among senior colleagues is largely unchanged
• A lower bonus pool in respect of 2022.

The above drivers are likely to explain.

• The increase in the mean total pay gap (+2.5% pts)
• The mean bonus gap decreasing (-7.6% pts)
• The change in pay quartiles with the split between male and female increasing in favour of females among the three lowest paying quartiles.

While onboarding female talent is a focus, there is a short to medium-term gender pay gap impact especially when they join the company in more junior levels and the ratio of net joiners is weighted in favour of females versus males.

What are we doing about the gender pay gap?

We have a range of initiatives focused on encouraging and supporting talented women into leadership and specialist roles, and we are working hard on initiatives to close the gap:

• We are proud signatories of the Women in Finance Charter, which aims to achieve gender balance at all levels across financial services firms
• As part of our “Women on Work” colleague inclusion network, we run mentoring circles and leadership seminars on key topics and advise on diverse candidate shortlists
• Our Opportunities Programme is a self-promotion programme for colleagues from diverse backgrounds. The programme consists of tutorials focused on enhancing skills and raising profiles, backed by sponsorship from the Executive Committee and senior leaders
• We launched an enhancement to our parental leave policies in 2023, which included up to 16 weeks full pay for maternity leave
• Our inclusive culture has been recognised through the following accolades; winning the Inclusive Culture Initiative Award at the 2023 Inclusive Awards; our Head of Engagement and Inclusion winning Diversity Lead of the Year at the Women in Finance Awards; and, being shortlisted for the Employer of the Year Award at the Women in Finance Awards.

Importantly, we have also examined the salaries for all jobs across the bank and this has confirmed that we pay our colleagues doing the same role equitably, regardless of gender.

I can confirm the data reported is accurate.

Chief People Officer

27 March 2024

Cymraeg:

Dyma ein Cynnig Cymraeg sy’n disgrifio’r gwasanaethau Cymraeg sydd ar gael i’n cwsmeriaid. Yn ogystal â chynnig datblygiad i’n cydweithwyr.

Mae’r Gymraeg yn bwysig i’r gwasanaethau yr ydym yn eu darparu gan fod llawer o’n cwsmeriaid yn siarad Cymraeg. Y mae hefyd yn bwysig i gefnogi’r iaith Gymraeg yng Nghymru ble bynnag y gallwn yn y gymuned.

Dyma yw ein Cynnig Cymraeg:

1. Bydd modd adnabod siaradwyr Cymraeg yn ein siopau yng Nghymru am eu bod yn gwisgo logo Iaith Gwaith – sef logo a ddefnyddir i ddynodi siaradwyr rhugl neu ddysgwyr.
2. Presenoldeb amlycach o’r Gymraeg yn ein siopau i gwsmeriaid a chydweithwyr. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys arwyddion, deunydd hyrwyddo.
3. Caiff Parth Arian, ein rhaglen addysg ariannol am ddim i ysgolion a grwpiau ieuenctid, ei chyflwyno yn y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg, yn dibynnu ar iaith ddewisol y grŵp.
4. Os wnewch chi ysgrifennu atom ni yn y Gymraeg, byddwn yn ymateb yn y Gymraeg.
5. Mae ein siopau Cymraeg yn ymddwyn fel canolfan i’r gymuned leol, ac yn cynnal digwyddiadau rhwydweithio busnes a byddwn yn dathlu diwylliant a thraddodiadau Cymru (e.e. Dydd Gŵyl Dewi). Bydd y digwyddiadau hyn yn croesawu’r sawl sy’n siarad Cymraeg a Saesneg yn ein siopau.
6. Byddwn yn rhoi’r cyfle i’n cydweithwyr ddysgu a gwella eu sgiliau Cymraeg.

English:

This is our Welsh Offer which describes the Welsh language services that are available to our customers. As well as to offer development for our colleagues.

The Welsh language is important to the services we provide as we have many Welsh speaking customers. It is also important to support the Welsh language in Wales wherever we can in the community.

1. In our Welsh stores you will be able to recognise Welsh-speaking colleagues as they will be wearing the Iaith Gwaith – the logo used to identify fluent speakers or learners.
2. A more prominent presence of the Welsh language in our stores for customers and colleagues. This will include signage, promotional material.
3. Money Zone, our free financial education programme for schools and youth groups, will be delivered in both English and Welsh depending on the group’s preference.
4. If you write to us in Welsh, we will respond in Welsh.
5. Our Welsh stores act as a hub for the local community, hosting regular business networking events and we will celebrate Welsh culture and traditions (for example St David’s day). In our stores these events will welcome both English and Welsh speakers.
6. We will give our colleagues the opportunity to learn and improve their Welsh language skills.