Matthew Douglas Ltd recognised for supporting a range of talented staff with heritage across the UK, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.
A pioneering UK investment and financial planning firm has won a national award for its work promoting diversity in its workforce.
Matthew Douglas Ltd won the MoneyAge Diversity Award earlier this month, beating well-known industry names, including Zurich and Fisher Investments UK.
The win comes as the company celebrates its ninth consecutive year as a TOP 100 IFA Business, with it on course this year to achieve record amounts of asset management.
Russell Brett, Director of Matthew Douglas Ltd, said:
“We’re truly honoured to win the MoneyAge Diversity Award, especially as we’ve been championing corporate diversity long before it became a box to tick on a hiring sheet.
“While we are based in the heart of rural Suffolk, a county with a majority white population of 93% compared to the English national average of just 81%, there are 17 members of our team whose heritage comes from four different continents: Africa, Asia, North America (the Caribbean) and Europe.
“What’s more, in an industry that historically has a low percentage of female staff, we also have five women represented at all levels within the company from the senior management team to senior advisers and customer service members.”
The award judges also recognised the company’s efforts to support refugees from Syria and Ukraine in recent years with cultural and financial advice, as well as securing accommodation for an asylum seeker from Odessa.
Brett added: “We don’t believe in working in an echo chamber; we’re incredibly inclusive because we are unapologetically reflective of the diverse community we serve. We thrive within a culture of acceptance, tolerance and mutual support”
The company has created the PROSPER programme, which stands for Positive, Responsible, Ownership, Supportive, Pragmatic, Empathetic and Respectful actions. The firm considers these values to be its guiding principles and is what governs its day-to-day actions and interactions, with emphasis on taking personal responsibility and empowering every individual to own the work that they do without fear or judgement.
Matthew Pescott Frost, founder of Matthew Douglas Ltd, accepted the MoneyAge Diversity Award at the awards ceremony, which took place at the prestigious Waldorf Hilton London hotel on Thursday 12th October 2023.
Matthew Pescott Frost said: “In 20 years of business, this company has grown from literally nothing into a successful local business, employing and uniting 17 immeasurably diverse individuals.
“We support around 700 families, providing advice and investing assets of £300M and generating a turnover approaching £2.5M. This could never have happened without recognising the importance of diversity and building it into every facet of our business.”
