AMP walks the talk on diversity in leadership development

29 July 2013

AMP walks the talk on diversity in leadership development

Responding to the universal challenge of retention of talent and promotion of diversity in leadership, AMP has launched a bespoke leadership development programme for its senior women. The AMP Pathways Programme features a number of unique attributes designed to ensure it delivers tangible results and becomes self-sustaining over the long term.

As well as modules on key leadership competency areas and 1:1 coaching, participants are required to undertake a business challenge, with regular reporting to the AMP leadership team on progress. The challenge set will be one that is real, with an expectation that the AMP Pathways Programme participants will deliver the solution.

Another unique aspect of the programme is that the inaugural participants of the programme in 2013 will be trained in coaching so that they can in turn coach and mentor subsequent years’ participants.

AMP’s Executive Legal Counsel Therese Singleton, one of the key drivers of the programme, said “AMP is absolutely committed to developing and supporting talented women within the business. It’s in our interests as a business to foster talent and to ensure that our leadership pool is representative of, and responsive to, AMP’s diverse customer base of over 370,000 New Zealanders.”

AMP has worked with Strategic Direction Consulting Ltd Director, Yvonne McLean, to develop and implement the AMP Pathways Programme.

Ms McLean, who is also the Programme Director for Global Women’s Women in Leadership Initiative, said, “It’s really encouraging to see large corporates like AMP lead by example. Positive recent initiatives such as the launches of Diverse NZ Inc. and the Women of Influence Awards have increased the call for greater diversity in senior management, but individual businesses need to take action to create that diversity within their own organisations. AMP has provided a great example stepping up and taking the initiative, and is a role model for other organisations, which I hope will follow suit.”

Talented women are nominated from all areas of the AMP business to take part in the programme. The 2013 intake of 14 women from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, come from backgrounds including distribution, wealth management, finance, marketing, legal, HR, and customer services.

“Including participants from all areas of the business, and the commitment to run the programme annually, will see the benefits felt across the AMP workforce in New Zealand,” said Ms Singleton.

The development and launch of the programme is the culmination of experience, learnings and feedback gathered and assessed over many years, and is the next major step in AMP’s ongoing efforts to support its senior women leaders and foster the next generation of women leaders.

The AMP Pathways Programme complements existing initiatives designed to support diversity, such as a flexible approach to working arrangements and hours, including job-sharing, part-time work and work from home. Since 2009, AMP has also provided 14 weeks full paid parental leave, on top of the Government entitlement. For AMP, the benefits are clearly evident in the high number of women who return to work at AMP following maternity leave.

“AMP’s commitment to diversity is demonstrated by the high number of women in senior roles; last year 48% of senior roles were filled by women. The AMP Pathways Programme is about taking this to the next level,” said Ms Singleton.

ENDS

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