Voices of Change: Redefining Diversity - Brightwell
Brightwell Champions Diversity as a Strategic Imperative for Long-Term Investment Success
Photo credit: Brightwell
Girda Davis, Chief of Staff, Brightwell
Pensions services provider Brightwell is placing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the centre of its mission—seeing it not just as a social good, but as a key driver of better decision-making, stronger organisational performance, and more sustainable investment outcomes.
In a recent statement, Brightwell outlined its integrated approach to DEI, both within its operations and across the broader investment ecosystem.
“For us, diversity means tapping into the full range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives—internally and across the wider investment ecosystem—to better serve pension scheme members,” the firm noted.
Embedding Diversity: Three Core Pillars
Brightwell’s strategy is underpinned by three foundational objectives:
- Diversifying talent pipelines through inclusive recruitment practices;
- Embedding a culture of inclusion where employees feel valued, empowered, and positioned to grow;
- Driving industry accountability via its co-chair role in the Asset Owner Diversity Charter (AODC), which holds asset managers to clear DEI standards.
This strategic alignment reflects a wider sustainability view: Brightwell recognises inequality as a systemic risk to long-term financial outcomes and treats DEI as central to building a more resilient and equitable system.
Building from Within
Internally, Brightwell is investing heavily in inclusive culture and equitable talent development. A standout initiative is the Brightwell Pensions Academy, which provides year-long training to individuals without prior pensions experience - ultimately preparing them to become qualified administrators. The initiative reflects Brightwell’s commitment to growing diverse talent from the ground up.
Other internal DEI efforts include:
- Inclusive hiring processes
- Annual employee engagement surveys with DEI metrics
- Inclusion training and life-event support, such as menopause awareness and coaching after parental leave
- Transparent gender and ethnicity pay gap reporting
Brightwell estimates that 60% of its DEI work is focused internally, underscoring its belief that lasting external influence begins with a strong internal culture.
Driving Change Beyond the Business
Externally, Brightwell has emerged as a key player in pushing the investment industry toward greater inclusion. It co-chairs the Asset Owner Diversity Charter, a collaborative initiative that demands accountability and progress from asset managers on DEI.
The company also contributes to sector-wide efforts, including:
- Membership in the Diversity Project, where it participates in workstreams to shape practical DEI tools and guidance;
- Involvement in outreach events like Investment 20/20 and We Can Be, which raise awareness of careers in pensions and investment for underrepresented groups.
“We aim to hold the industry to account—not just on representation, but on meaningful inclusion strategies and long-term progress,” Brightwell said.
Balanced Impact: 60% Internal, 40% External
Brightwell’s DEI strategy balances internal development with external advocacy, with a 60/40 split in emphasis. This dual approach ensures both cultural integrity and industry influence.
Its internal programme spans:
- Comprehensive DEI data collection and analysis
- Engagement surveys with actionable DEI insights
- Inclusive talent development and hiring
- Life-stage support programmes
- Pay transparency reporting
Externally, Brightwell applies a DEI lens to capital allocation and company engagement. It uses tools like the AODC questionnaire to assess asset managers’ progress—not just on demographics, but on inclusion strategies and cultural change.
A Data-Driven and Collaborative Future
Brightwell is turning toward data-driven inclusion as the next frontier in DEI progress. Voluntary workforce data and feedback from staff engagement surveys are helping the firm understand how inclusion is experienced across roles, teams, and career stages.
This nuanced insight not only shapes internal policies but also informs how Brightwell engages with its investment partners. The organisation is exploring intersectionality in DEI metrics to better support diverse identities within its workforce and externally.
The company also actively monitors international frameworks—such as the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) questionnaire for private markets—to ensure its practices remain globally relevant while staying aligned with the UK market through the AODC.
“We believe the next leap forward in DEI will come from data-driven inclusion—understanding not only how people are represented but how they truly feel and thrive within organisations,” Brightwell concluded.
Looking Ahead: Transparency, Accountability, and Culture
Brightwell sees the future of DEI built on three key pillars: transparency, accountability, and collaboration. It is committed to continual improvement and open dialogue, both internally and across the investment landscape.
As the financial sector reckons with inequality as a systemic risk, Brightwell’s integrated and strategic approach to DEI presents a compelling model—one that links inclusion not only to values, but to long-term success and resilience in the pensions industry.