Business, Innovation and Skills CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Clydesdale Bank PLC

Gender Breakdown

Across the bank as a whole, we employ almost nine and a half thousand people. The majority (62%) of these are women.

For our middle management population, the gender split is 56% men to 44% women.

In 2010, on International Women’s Day, te National Austrail Bank (of which we are part) set a target of having women in 33% of its top three levels of management by 2015.

In the UK, we are approaching that target and currently one in four people in our top three management layers are women.

We do not operate quotas, but we have aspirational targets and our progress against them is monitored annually.

Our Group CEO personally chairs our Group Diversity Forum which tracks progress in meeting the target.

Talent Development Programme

To help support the career progression of women in the bank, we operate a Talent Development programme and women make up a minimum of 50% of its participants.

We operate a networking group specifically for women and a range of Women’s Business Forum events, including the Pearls Programme. We have a formal mentoring programme for pre-management grade women and at its peak over 800 women were members. Benefits include boosting confidence in their ability, provides career coaching and personal or professional development.

Flexible working

We offer part time, term time, job share, working from home, different start and finish times—all of these are great for women at different stages in their lives.

Ability to request flexibility for all introduced in 2006.

No requirement for the employee to be a carer or parent.

Family Friendly Policies

Maternity and Adoption—Our policy is enhanced to pay 12 weeks at full pay followed by six weeks at half pay and the remaining 21 weeks at SMP rate.

Life Event Leave—supports every employee and could be used for graduation, moving house, getting married, child’s first day at primary school etc.; ensures that three days are paid for domestic emergencies with the possibility of unpaid leave afterwards or use the two days planned.

Fertility Leave—10 days paid leave for treatment and appointments.

Career Break—up to two years; employee has to effectively resign from post with a break in service but when they wish to return we will do our best to source a role. If this is not available the former employee will be entitled to a severance payment.

Returning From Maternity Leave

Baby Gurus—This interactive workshop focuses on assisting women to make a smooth transition back to the workplace following maternity leave.

Childcare vouchers—implemented years ago, tax efficient scheme for registered childcare arrangements only.

Phased return—mandatory for the woman to take up, benefits for individual and business.

Encouraging keep in touch days—beneficial for the individual and the business, ensures women are aware of changes either to team, people leader, processes etc; feel included in decisions; do not feel isolate; their workstation is ready etc.

Our maternity leave return rate was low between 60–70% but has been steadily maintained at over 80%.

3 December 2012