The Securities Industry Association (SIA) is committed to encouraging diversity within its member firms and in the markets they serve. The SIA's work in diversity began in approximately 1994 with the creation of an informal working group.  This group worked in conjunction with other SIA efforts to program "diversity" presentations into SIA conferences, the Securities Industry Institute and other forums.

The group met several times in the years following its creation and determined that there was a unique opportunity for SIA to assist member firms in realizing the business value of diversity.  The group believed that cultural awareness within the global capital markets was critical to our industry's competitiveness.  They also believed that to assure that the U.S. capital markets remain preeminent in the world, we must recognize that innovation, diversity, creativity and resourcefulness are necessary to maximize growth potential while discovering new markets.

In November 1996, SIA's Board of Directors formally recognized and approved the formation of a Diversity Committee. The mission of the Committee is to assist member firms in developing their diversity initiatives to increase inclusion in the workplace and in their efforts to market to diverse customers. Our objective is to help shape an industry that is welcoming to all people; where employees are limited only by their own potential; clients' unique needs are actively served; and shareholders receive value for their investment.

To further SIA's commitment to provide information and to support securities firms meet the challenges and maximize the opportunities of an increasingly diverse workforce and customer base, SIA conducts biennial industry-wide diversity surveys. The first survey results were released in April 1999. The results of the 2005 survey are available here: 2005 Report on Diversity Strategy, Development, & Demographics: Key Findings, pdf. SIA plans to continue this benchmarking work to provide members with the information to gauge their progress over time.