More sexism in the City

New research last month has revealed the extent of discrimination on grounds of sex, age and sexual orientation in the City of London.

In a survey conducted for CityAM newspaper, 55% of financial services workers in the City and Canary Wharf said they thought sex discrimination still existed in their workplace – and 32% had experienced it themselves. For age discrimination the figures were 59% and 33% respectively.

And the pay gulf in the finance sector remains, with 35% of men but just 13% of women earning more than £61,000 a year.

The Equal Opportunities Commission described the findings as “shocking but not surprising”, adding that “the recent spate of high-profile legal cases only scratched the tip of the iceberg”.

Meanwhile, the Law Society has criticised the “macho” culture of big law firms in the City, claiming that many gay lawyers are being forced to lead a double life as a result.

A Law Society survey of gay and lesbian solicitors found that many are reluctant to “come out”, at least until established in their careers, in case it harms their prospects. And they are more likely to resign than take legal action against their employer, fearing that the latter course would leave them unemployable.

“This report should alert firms of the need to review their policies to tackle discrimination and ensure a climate of acceptance and inclusivity,” said Law Society president Fiona Woolf.