First Central has been confirmed as an inclusive and supportive environment for women, with Great Place to Work® (GPTW) awarding the insurance company 9th out of 86 in the Best Workplaces for Women, Super Large Organisations category.
The company, which employs 35 people in Guernsey, and has offices in the UK, and Gibraltar, encourages women to thrive throughout their careers.
The ranking is a result of the GPTW survey, which asks employees hundreds of questions about their lived experiences at work, comparing their answers with information revealed by culture audits submitted by their employers. The thorough analysis showcases First Central’s employees positive experiences; the company being committed to fairness and equal opportunities for all, underlining the progress made towards gender equality and fulfilling their diversity objectives.
First Central’s Chief People Officer, Jo McGowan said: “Ranking 9th is such a fantastic result for us. It reflects the huge commitment we’ve made to building an authentic community where we nurture and reward talent in all its varieties. Diversity sparks ideas and creativity; it’s key to our success. Our people have helped us establish the remarkable culture we all love at First Central and GPTW’s recognition is extra special because the award’s based on colleague feedback.”
GPTW’s questioning about equity at work focuses on women’s observations of fairness compared with their male colleagues’ experiences. It finds out how companies empower their people to reach their full potential and uncovers their experiences at different stages of their lives as their circumstances and identities evolve. The survey also reveals how well women are represented, including at management level.
First Central say that employee experience is fundamental to their strategy and they have previously introduced initiatives such as Women in Leadership Forum, where a community of peers share their knowledge and understanding quarterly across business areas. A key strategic target for the insurance company is to have 40% of senior roles performed by women by 2025, however, they have already achieved over 38%.
Michael Lee (pictured), CEO at First Central, said: “I’m really proud to see our unique culture rewarded. Having ranked 7th for Wellbeing and 23rd overall in the Super Large category earlier this year, hearing First Central’s one of the most encouraging employers for women reinforces our ethos is effective.
“In the GPTW Survey, 96% of our colleagues agreed they were treated fairly at work whatever their age, sexual orientation, gender, race or position which is a remarkable result. We’re obviously aiming for 100% and continuously focus on nurturing a transparent environment that makes success possible for everyone. Creating an exceptional colleague experience is a key strategic driver at First Central and I’m honoured GPTW’s survey proves our approach is successful.”
