We actively promote a culture which enables our employees to be comfortable in themselves and to flourish in their role. At Polar Capital, we are committed to ensuring our workforce is representative and that all voices and perspectives are heard.
Our Culture
Polar Capital is proud of its culture
Our culture is one of collegiality, with teams across the business working together to achieve positive outcomes for our investors. Individuals are included and treated as equals, thriving in a meritocratic environment.
The firm takes a prudent approach to business management, with a culture of compliance and risk assessment at the heart of all that we do. The board of directors continually assesses the firm’s ability to maintain high standards.
As a listed company, the company encourages staff ownership of shares in the business through a government-backed Save As You Earn scheme. This enables the interests of our staff to be aligned with shareholders, fosters a sense of loyalty and collegiality, and helps ensure that staff uphold the high standards expected.
Our People
Our people are the heart of our business and attracting and retaining key talent is of utmost importance to the Group
We achieve this by providing a supportive and inclusive working environment with an open-door policy, focussing on the wellbeing of all staff and establishing a diverse culture where rewards are based on merit and opportunities are given for personal development.
It is vital that our people are provided with support and opportunities, not only to enhance their careers, but also to optimise their health and wellbeing. We are also committed to professionally developing our staff, encouraging them to consider additional qualifications to aid their development, which we support both financially and through allowing study leave.
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)
We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace allows us to achieve the best for our business and our clients
We are an equal opportunities employer and our staff is made up of a mix of genders, backgrounds and nationalities. We aim to ensure that nobody receives less favourable treatment on any grounds, including gender, sexual orientation, disability, background or race.
In November 2020, we created a Diversity and Inclusion Committee, formed to promote and foster a culture of inclusion and diversity at Polar Capital and within the industry.
The D&I Committee is made up of a diverse team of individuals who are working together to bring more balanced and insightful perspectives for our employees and our clients. The Committee makes recommendations on, oversees and monitors the implementation of Polar Capital’s strategic goals for D&I.
We believe the key benefits of diversity and inclusion are:
- Cognitive diversity leads to different perspectives and ideas and better results. Other forms of diversity can help positively contribute to cognitive diversity.
- Expands the pool of talent (by making sure we attract talent from all backgrounds) resulting in an improvement of talent at the firm
- Increases the likelihood that everyone at the firm feels welcome, thrives, reaches their potential and shares ideas. Retention should also be improved as a result.
- Enriches the culture of the firm. Makes it a more interesting place to work and more reflective of society at large.
- It is the right thing to do when considering the firm’s responsibility to all stakeholders: clients, employees, shareholders, community.
Industry participation
Polar Capital is committed to improve diversity within our company and promote diversity within our industry. We are a member of a number of organisations and initiatives that help us develop our practices internally and support diversity and inclusion within the industry. We are a member of the Diversity Project, which works to promote an inclusive culture across the investment industry. Our CEO is a participant on its Advisory Committee and we also participate in the mental health workstreams.
Investment 20/20 is a UK-based initiative which aims to promote a responsible and inclusive industry where companies can attract, develop and retain candidates from all backgrounds. Our involvement continues to be beneficial, with one new trainee taken on in 2023 and another becoming a permanent staff member in 2023.
