Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Access our 2025 Insights and Trends report on Women and finance in New Zealand.

Key takeaways from the report include:

• Women are more likely to understand financial concepts than men.
• Women are less confident about their financial understanding, with younger women particularly bearing the burden of financial worries compared to men.
• Over 80% of Kiwi women rate their level of financial wellbeing as moderate, low or very low, with over 70% feeling that financial wellbeing influences their overall wellbeing.

Through the sharing of case studies during our Empower & Elevate - Women in Finance: Leading Change breakfast, attendees heard from a panel of New Zealand business leaders about their stories in addressing structural obstacles that impact recruitment and retention of women.

We thank Mika Austin, GM People & Culture at NZ Super Fund, Marika Eastwick Field, Partner at Russell McVeagh, Steve Jurkovich, CEO of Kiwibank and facilitator Emma McLean, Founder of Works for Everyone for participating in the panel discussion.

As the financial services industry and the New Zealand population continues to evolve, the importance of equity, inclusion and diversity has never been more apparent. 

At FSC24, these critical themes took centre stage, with industry leaders and experts discussing actionable strategies for fostering inclusion and breaking down barriers. 

If you missed the Conference or simply want to rewatch your favourite diversity and inclusion sessions, view the replays below.

During our webinar on Māori engagement in the financial services industry, our panel of experts shared their experiences and achievements to discuss:

• How engaging with Māori communities may differ from engaging with other groups.
• Recommended strategies for financial service providers to enhance their capacity and engagement, aiming for better outcomes with Māori communities.

With 8 March 2025 being celebrated as International Women's Day, it puts women's issues, particularly their financial wellbeing, in the spotlight.

See a collection of the media and commentary that has featured FSC's latest Insights and Trends: Women and Finance in New Zealand research report.

The FSC has released its Money & You research, reveals the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on New Zealanders with their life and health insurance, how women are less confident than men with risk.

Our 2024 Money and You report, Managing Risk Through Challenging Times, sheds light on how well New Zealanders understand key investment concepts.

Despite growing confidence in financial decision-making, the data reveals a persistent gender gap in investment confidence, particularly regarding the relationship between risk and return, diversification, and asset allocation.