The Swiss National Bank's overseer publicly addressed allegations that the central bank discriminated against women and fostered a workplace marked by misogyny and sexism.
Switzerland's central bank didn't find evidence of systemic discrimination after reviewing a series of personnel complaints since 2014 with its human resources and compliance departments, Barbara Janom Steiner, head of the Swiss National Bank's council, told Swiss daily «CH-Media» (behind paywall, in German).
The comments from Steiner, who presides the 11-member body which oversees the central bank, follow a report from Swiss outlet «Republik» (in German) three month ago that the SNB systemically failed to promote women due to their gender and cited anonymous sources describing a workplace rife with casual sexism as well as institutionalized misogyny.
Diversity Focus
Janom Steiner conceded that the SNB had bumbled some dealings with staff, for example in human resources reviews. She said the SNB plans to review its processes for hiring, promoting, setting salaries, and whistleblowing as a result.
She also said she will oversee a new board committee devoted to developing the SNB's approach to diversity. The body will include Vania Alleva, who is a prominent Swiss union representative elected to the SNB council last year. Janom Steiner said the evaluation would last through 2021, and may lead to changes in the SNB's code of conduct and statutes.
