Investment and financial planning group Quilter has announced its sponsorship of the charity Girls Are Investors (GAIN).

The charity was set up by investment professionals to champion diversity in the workplace and encourage more young women into the industry through inspirational talks, career support and opportunities.

In supporting the sponsorship, Quilter colleagues have participated in a virtual panel, An introduction to Wealth Management, and provided content for a video series that GAIN has created which features representatives talking about their role, how they got there and advice for entry-level females.

This sponsorship is part of Quilter's commitments made in its two-year Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Action Plan. The plan prioritises solutions with measurable impact that will sustain over the long-term, says the company. The plan supports an equity-based approach focusing on the differing needs of unde-represented groups.

Quilter is building a diverse talent acquisition business partnering function, which will oversee the enforcement of diverse interview panels, modernise job descriptions and ensure they are appealing to all.

Tosin James-Odukoya, head of inclusion, diversity and talent at Quilter, commented: "We want to help teach the next generation about investing and help to change the perspective among young women from all backgrounds that the investment management sector is one they can forge a career in.

"It's important that we don’t pay lip service to improving the diversity of our company and sector and by committing to work with GAIN to encourage more women to join the industry we are taking direct and meaningful action.

"We all know that an inclusive company that values diversity of thought, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background will spur innovation and improve employee wellbeing, but the pace of change has been too slow for too long. Our inclusion and diversity action plan puts in place tangible actions that give us the chance to effectively measure our success and make positive change.