Ó£ÌÒɬ¸£Àû¼§

Loading…

Guest blog: Representation is important to customers too

Philippa Herz, Chief Financial Officer at OneFamily, explains why representation is so important at the mutual, and the benefits of supporting a diverse workforce.

Philippa Herz, OneFamily is an Associate Member of the Building Societies Association.

Something that I’ve noticed more and more in recruitment and promotion interviews is that people want to be part of a team that they know they’ll thrive in.  

The talented applicants that I’ve met often say that the diversity within our business makes us more attractive as an employer.  Being able to see someone who is like you at all levels of the organisation means that you know you’ll have a voice; that you’ll be heard.

We’re very lucky at OneFamily that our diverse workforce is reflected from our Board and Executive Team to our most junior roles.  It’s something we’re very proud of.  We want those differing perspectives at all levels, because we are mirroring the society in which we are existing.  So, diversity is also essential in helping us to understand our customers.

It’s important for those who are in the early stages of their career to be able to look at our most senior management and see someone that they relate to.  We want them to be able to think, ‘That person is a bit like me,’ – and to aspire to move up the organisation.  

As part of this, it’s vital that women are involved in all levels of our organisation. In terms of representation, if you look at our customers, a very large proportion of them will be women.  It’s very often women who are making the financial decisions in their households. 

As an inclusive employer we seek to have an environment that supports people whose circumstances might not enable them to work a traditional 9 to 5, five days a week.  For example, those with caring responsibilities - whether that’s people looking after older relatives, parents or, increasingly, Grandparents who look after their Grandchildren. These are all people with skills and experience that we value and each bring something new to the conversation.  So, we actively seek to accommodate people with other responsibilities or who need additional support to enable them to be able to do their job.

This makes good business sense too - having a diverse team positively influences the products and services that we develop, and how we talk about them. Because representation is as important to our customers as it is to our colleagues.

To find out more, visit

You may also be interested in...

  • BSA.IndustryPublication Research & Reports
  • Banking & Payments

The Social Value of the Building Society Branch Network

The Building Societies Association commissioned RealWorth, a social value consultancy, to carry out a study which examines the social value generated ...

BSA Card
  • BSA.IndustryPublication Research & Reports
  • Conduct Risk & Regulation

The burden of regulation

The BSA report shows that the cost of compliance is considerably higher for smaller societies than for larger societies.

BSA Card
  • BSA.IndustryPublication Research & Reports
  • Banking & Payments

Building Societies Report 2025

Whitecap Consulting, in collaboration with the Building Societies Association (BSA) and a group of key stakeholders, has published the Building Societ...

BSA Card
  • BSA.PressRelease Press Release
  • Savings

Broken boilers beat bucket list holidays as biggest reason for saving

New research from the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre, reveals Britain’s savings habits reflect ongoing cost pressures, with ...

  • BSA.IndustryResponse Industry Response
  • Audit & Taxation

BSA response to Draft legislation: Better use of new and improved third-party data 2026

The BSA has responded to the HMRC consultation "Draft legislation: Better use of new and improved-third party data". You can read our response here. ...

BSA Card
  • BSA.IndustryResponse Industry Response
  • Audit & Taxation

BSA response to BBSI Reporting - Better Use of Third-Party Data 2025

The BSA responded to the HMRC consultation "Better Use of New and Improved Third-Party Data to Make It Easier to Pay Tax Right Time" on 21 May 2025 wh...

BSA Card
  • BSA.IndustryPublication Research & Reports
  • Savings

Understanding the reasons for and barriers to saving

Saving is a cornerstone of financial resilience, yet many UK households struggle to build even modest buffers.

BSA Card
  • BSA.Event Event
  • Audit & Taxation

Audit and Accounting Seminar

After another successful event in 2025, and responding to delegate feedback, this year's annual update will take place in London. The full-day e...

BSA Card
  • BSA.Event Event
  • Mortgages & Housing

Annual Meet-up for Mortgage Professionals

Join us for the BSA's Annual Mortgage Meet-up, bringing together mortgage professionals from across the sector for a day of insight, discussion and ne...

BSA Card
  • BSA.PressRelease Press Release
  • Mortgages & Housing

Without action, home ownership is set to become Britain's biggest financial divide

Building societies and credit unions are well placed to help people navigate growing financial pressures because they are built around long-term custo...