Waddell & Reed Financial spent much of the past year putting Diversity & Inclusion efforts and strategies into practice. Recently the Overland Park, Kansas, firm announced several new initiatives, following up on 2019 when it became the first organization in the Kansas City metro area to partner with Rock The Street, Wall Street, a national, nonprofit organization committed to attracting more young women to the field of finance. Waddell & Reed expanded that partnership to a second school this year.
According to RTSWS, in the financial sector, women make up only 9% of mutual fund managers, 2.5% of hedge fund managers and 11.7% of senior private equity professionals. Through the partnership, Waddell & Reed works with local high school students to deliver a curriculum that offers financial education. CEO Philip Sanders signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge.
“From a broader industry perspective, we plan to extend the footprint of our culture of diversity and inclusion by continuing to actively partner with other companies and organizations to spark enthusiasm and directly illustrate the impact a career in the financial industry can have on individuals, families, communities and businesses,” Sanders said.
This expansion took form in Waddell & Reed’s partnership with the Forte Foundation, sponsorship of Kansas City Women in Technology and a new employee mentorship program.
Contact Roger Hoadley, vice president of communications at rhoadley@waddell.com to learn more about the firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.
— George B. Moriarty