Current Focus

Working Groups

  • We raise awareness of our sector by connecting with future talent at careers fairs and insight sessions in schools and on campus.

  • We are focused on ensuring that the talent coming into our sector comes from diverse backgrounds.

    Our partnership with The Robertson Trust launched in 2022 and involves volunteers from our community supporting young people, on campus, who face different challenges from historically traditional backgrounds.

  • As a Scottish Financial Enterprise member, we support their Young Professionals initiative.

Talent

Wellbeing

Operational Capability

  • Our sector is constantly challenged to operate in compliance with global regulations, as well as adopting new and changing regulations. Markets follow much the same trend and so our agenda is focused on those topics that challenge our community the most.

    Currently those key topics are: T+1 Settlement, Operational Resilience, ESG, SDR and SMR.

  • There are two areas of focus under this workstream.

    Managing the Workforce of the Future looks at how our sector remains competitive in the context of a post-pandemic hybrid work environment.

    Our Operating Models topic is focused on ensuring that our sector looks at the benefits and disadvantages of various strategies, rather than just through a cost lens.

  • Data is a broad church, so we have embarked on the initial stages of this topic. The journey starts by looking at what we mean by ‘Data’ and how our sector can develop a data strategy which also includes how we use data to drive operational effectiveness.

  • Another area that remains a constant in our sector.

    Our workstream aims to take a fresh look at how we create a culture of change in a hybrid world as well as emerging approaches for managing change.

  • In partnership with Mind & Mission, we have built the Mental Fitness Series which serves to help our community build greater resilience and find support in tackling mental health.

    There are four events scheduled throughout 2022 and a library of resources on our website.

  • We will develop videos and articles based on the experiences of our leadership community. The first in this series will be delivered in Q4 2022 regarding mental health.

  • We are focused on raising greater awareness around the menopause. This can have profound effects on individuals experiencing menopause in the workplace, yet is one of last few taboos in society. As a sector we need to better equipped to manage and support our community.

    SIO has commissioned a video to support this important agenda.

  • Our sector is constantly changing, not least as a result of changes in regulations around the world but also unexpected change such as the pandemic and how it affects working practices. We will flex our agenda to meet those needs.

  • This working group tackles the various challenges presented by suppliers to our sector. This can be a diverse area that focuses on regulation, such as ESG and the impact of supervisory obligations on third parties.

  • We currently have a working group that discusses challenges and developments in accounting standards. In 2022, sustainability reporting has been a prominent discussion point.