15 Dec 2021

Standards Board Publishes a Report on Culture and Diversity for Smaller Asset Managers

Today the SBAI, a global alliance of alternative investment managers and allocators and custodian of the Alternative Investments Standards, released the second in their series of reports on culture and diversity – Beyond the Metrics: Demonstrating and Assessing Diversity in Smaller Asset Managers.

Allocator due diligence increasingly focuses on aspects of culture and diversity within asset managers. Being able to compare this data across managers is critical but doing this based solely on metrics can put smaller managers at a disadvantage. This report provides solutions for how smaller managers can make their culture and diversity strategies effective and how allocators can assess these managers retaining the ability to compare managers across their portfolio.

This report is a follow on from the SBAI Report – Principles of Culture and Diversity Strategies. The principles in this report can be tailored for firms of any size and the new report gives smaller managers practical guidance for adapting these principles.

Jane Buchan, Chief Executive Officer - Martlet Asset Management, Global Chair of the SBAI Culture and Diversity Advisory Committee, and SBAI Trustee said: “Smaller managers do face some unique challenges, but they also have several important advantages for promoting diversity within the industry. This report highlights how smaller managers can leverage these opportunities for the benefit of their firms and the broader industry.”

Amanda Cherry, Director of HR – Aspect Capital said: “Smaller managers do face challenges implementing widely publicised culture and diversity strategies such as employee networks and mentoring schemes, but many small firms have the same level of commitment to achieving diversity in the industry. SBAI’s culture and diversity reports provide a great toolkit for managers to put in place strategies that are effective for their size.”

Maria Long Research and Content Director of the SBAI said: “Our mission is to solve for better and improve industry outcomes. We believe that diversity and inclusive cultures are vital to ensure the industry thrives. Through collaboration with our asset manager and allocator community we are providing tools for firms to work through their own strategies and achieve their own goals.”

This toolkit was produced with input from both allocators and asset managers. The SBAI community is made up of over 150 asset managers representing over $2 trillion in AUM and over 90 institutional investors overseeing $4 trillion in assets.

 

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