World's best bank for diversity and inclusion 2017: Lloyds Banking Group

"Our whole ethos is to make sure people feel included,” says Fiona Cannon, director of inclusion and diversity (I&D) and of responsible business at Lloyds Banking Group.

You will notice rather than D&I, it is I&D – a nuance that offers an insight into Lloyds’ approach to both employees and customers. With inclusion as the priority, Cannon says, it becomes a culture driven by making sure all employees and clients feel valued. 

It is working. Engagement levels within the firm are high. The bank is frequently voted as one of the top 20 companies in the UK to work for, and this year it wins Euromoney’s award for world’s best bank for diversity and inclusion. 

The drive for inclusion comes from the top of Lloyds. Two years ago, chief executive António Horta-Osório moved responsibility for the I&D function into the group CEO’s office. Senior executives take a lead role. Members of the group executive committee are sponsors for gender, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, ethnicity and agile working, and speak openly on a range of issues, including mental health and managing wellbeing.