Hina Belitz in the Financial Times today discussing ‘boys’ club, macho city firms and companies sidestepping the law with settlement pay-offs

"While some companies will absolutely hold themselves to account, others sidestep the law with settlement pay-offs and concoct diversity programmes to tick an audit box. To illustrate the dilemma, Belitz cites a client who "was left in no doubt her days were numbered" after she became the only senior demale to have a child while working at a notoriously "macho" city firm. To avoid legal action, she suggested her employer finance her study for a masters and the employer agreed - provided she left the business. Both sides moved on, but the company's "boys' club" survived intact and its women lost a role model."

"To tackle systemic unfairness, Belitz suggests empowering a statutory body to "compel organisations to engage in confidential mediation". 

To read this Financial Times piece online, please click here