Diversity and Inclusion
Our Approach
Fostering and supporting a globally diverse and inclusive workforce is a fundamental strength of Northern Trust that helps us succeed as a business enterprise and community advocate.
Northern Trust People - A Diversified Portfolio
The quality of all Northern Trust partners, performing as individuals and working together as teams, clearly distinguishes us from our competition. A diversified workforce is one of our strongest assets to best serve our clients, investors, public and company.
Employer of Choice
Northern Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We aim for excellence in our efforts to recruit, develop and deploy the highest caliber workforce. Our commitment and success to a diverse workforce is evident in employee satisfaction and industry acknowledgment.
Northern Trust has been recognized as a top employer from: Working Mother magazine, Black Enterprise magazine, Diversity Edge magazine, Diversity MBA magazine, Latina Style magazine, National Association of Female Executives, and The Corporate Equality Index to name a few. View our complete list of Recognitions.
Practices and Principles of Commitment
Northern Trust has an absolute commitment to capitalizing on the strengths of individual differences across its diverse workforce:
Our Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion, a senior executive position, ensures progressiveness in our programs, training and policies with support of diversity councils.
Our annual Chairman's Diversity Advocate Award Program recognizes employees who champion and make contributions to our diversity efforts.
Widespread Diversity at Work training continuously improves the abilities of work groups to value their people and all of their contributions.
Global alignment and involvement through Business Resource Councils:
- Advancing Professionals Resource Council
- Asian Leadership Business Resource Council
- Black Business Resource Council
- Disability Business Resource Council
- Experienced Professionals Business Resource Council
- Latin Heritage Leadership Council
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Business Resource Council
- Military Appreciation and Assistance Resource Council
- Women in Leadership Business Resource Council
- Working Families Business Resource Council
Women in Finance Charter
Northern Trust are signatories to the Women in Finance Charter (“the Charter”). Established by HM Treasury in the UK, the Charter aims to bring companies together to work to build a more balanced and fair financial services industry.
The Charter underscores our commitment to diversity at all levels of our organisation. We have set our target to increase the number of women in senior management roles in the UK to 35% by December 2020.
This Charter and our wide-ranging diversity efforts in the UK are championed by Teresa Parker, president for Europe, Middle East and Africa. We take great pride in aligning ourselves with this important initiative and believe that cross-industry efforts such as this are of vital importance in helping our industry to become more successful.
When we signed up to the Charter in May 2017 we had 31% female representation in senior management. As of September 2018 we have 30% female representation in senior management. Despite this, we believe we are on track to meet our Charter target by our deadline of December 2020.
Armed Forces Covenant and MOD Employer Recognition Scheme
Northern Trust is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. This is a declaration that Northern Trust will ensure that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are always treated fairly. Northern Trust was also awarded a Bronze award in 2017 by the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme by pledging its support for the Armed Forces, including existing or prospective employees who are members of the community and is open to employing reservists, Armed Forces veterans (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses/partners. Over the next year, Northern Trust will be working with our partners in the MOD and the Career Transition Partnership to achieve the criteria for the Silver and Gold awards.
Connie Lindsey
Connie Lindsey
Connie L. Lindsey is Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Northern Trust, Chicago. She is responsible for the design and implementation of the global Corporate Social Responsibility, Community Development and Investments, and Global Diversity and Inclusion strategy for Northern Trust and the development of goals, policies, and programs appropriate to the brand and business unit strategies. In addition, Ms. Lindsey provides oversight and leadership to the firm's response to environmental matters as well as social issues, within the marketplace, workplace, and the community.
Prior to becoming the Head of CSR, Ms. Lindsey led the client servicing teams in the Public Entities and Institutions segment in the Corporate & Institutional Services business, serving public fund and not-for-profit clients. Over the course of her Northern Trust career, she has held a number of leadership roles, including Deputy Business Head in Operations and Technology, Group Head in Northern Trust's Wealth Management business, Director of Enterprise Relationship Management, and Manager in Treasury Management Consulting and Product Management and holds the Certified Treasury Professional designation.
Ms. Lindsey is the former National Board President of Girl Scouts of the USA. She joined the Girl Scouts board in 2005 and was elected National Board President, the highest-ranking volunteer of this 2.5 million-member organization, in 2008 for a three-year term. She was re-elected to the role of National Board President at the 2011 convention for another three-year term. In this role she provided guidance in three vital areas—policy, fund-raising, and leadership. She was an integral part of the Girl Scout transformation, committed to building and sustaining membership growth and ensuring girls receive a premier leadership development experience.
Ms. Lindsey serves on several civic and charitable boards to include Leadership Greater Chicago (Board President and Fellow since 2001); McCormick Theological Seminary (Trustee); Obama Foundation Inclusion Council (Co-Chair); YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago; Global Reporting Initiative (GRI); and Executives' Club of Chicago.
Ms. Lindsey received her BA in Finance at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has completed the Harvard Business School Executive Education Corporate Social Responsibility program, and is also a licensed Qualified Administrator of The Intercultural Development Inventory®. She is a public and motivational speaker on topics of diversity and inclusion, corporate responsibility, leadership, and personal and professional empowerment.
Ms. Lindsey has been profiled on national television on PBS' 30GoodMinutes and ABC's Heart and Soul. She has been recognized for her leadership professionally and in the community by the Anti-Defamation League's Woman of Achievement Award, Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Award, Chicago United's Business Leaders of Color Award, Leadership Greater Chicago's Distinguished Fellow Award, Life Directions-Guiding Light Award, National Diversity Council's Most Powerful and Influential Women Award, Women's Bar Association of Illinois-Advocacy Award, and YWCA's Outstanding Leader Award in Community Leadership. In 2011 Ms. Lindsey was honored with the Spirit of Achievement award by Loretto Hospital Foundation. She was the first woman to receive the award in its eight year history. The recognition established the Connie L. Lindsey, Cancer Resource Center at Loretto Hospital in Chicago. She is an Inroads, Inc. Alumna and has been inducted into the Inroads Alumni Hall of Fame.