To celebrate International Women’s Day we asked a selection of our female Co-owners what they enjoy most about working at Castlefield and why they think it is a great place to work.  

 

International Women's Day is a worldwide event that occurs each year, where the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women are celebrated. The aim is to promote inclusion and diversity, in order to eliminate bias, stereotypes and discrimination. 

At Castlefield, we’re proud of how diverse our company is. It’s also fair to say that we’re fortunate to have so many inspiring and notable female role models to work alongside, at all levels of the company.  

All Co-owners are involved in creating an inclusive environment and pay particular attention to developing a respectful, diverse workforce that reflects our wider community. It’s important that our people can be themselves at work: we know that we are all at our best when we are free to be ourselves. We also know that when our Co-owners feel a sense of belonging, they’re better able to help and support our clients, and can contribute to the communities in which we operate. 

With International Women’s Day being celebrated today (on the 8th March), we asked a selection of our female Co-owners what they enjoy most about working at Castlefield and why they think it is a great place to work.  

 

Mundia Oluda, Executive, Financial Advice  

How long have you been working for Castlefield? 

 I have worked at Castlefield for 1 year and 6 months, but it feels like longer! 

When not at work, what do you enjoy doing? 

I have young children so when I am not at work I spend most of my time with family & friends 

What do you enjoy most about working at Castlefield? 

I enjoy working at Castlefield because of the people I work with. Some because of their personal background, it is an inspiration, others for the energy they bring and their dedication to their work. 

#Embracing Equity 

Compared to other organisations I have worked for, Castlefield is the most inclusive. Nevertheless, I think we could build more equity in the workplace if we used more inclusive language. The suggestion applies to the financial industry as a whole but charity begins at home.  

 

Amanda Blan, Manager, Finance 

How long have you been working for Castlefield?  

I have been working at Castlefield since May 2015, so nearly 8 years. 

When not at work, what do you enjoy doing? 

I enjoy reading, going to the theatre and my voluntary work with GirlGuiding UK. I'm a Guide Unit Leader in North Manchester and really enjoy spending time with the girls in our unit; we have lots of fun. 

 What do you enjoy most about working at Castlefield? 

Aside from the Employee-Ownership aspect, I particularly enjoy the independence element of working at Castlefield. I'm trusted to get on with my work and the projects that I'm involved with, without day to day overseeing or even worse micromanaging! I also know that if I need help/input, there is always someone available; we have a massive resource of knowledge and skills across Castlefield. 

#Embrace Equity  

I remember thinking when I joined Castlefield that there was a lot more women in senior leadership roles than I had experienced at other companies; so I think that we've been embracing equity for a long time. It's great to see so many women achieving so much in their careers. 

 

Deborah Warrender, Associate, Finance 

How long have you been working for Castlefield?   

15 years + 2 months 

When not at work, what do you enjoy doing?   

Walking my dog and spending time with my grandchildren  

What do you enjoy most about working at Castlefield?  

Castlefield opened up opportunities for me that I hadn’t experienced before, this helped me expand my finance knowledge and skills. Over the years, the company has grown in ways I would never have believed, so a lot of changes have happened. Alongside these changes, we have employed great people, and they also make it enjoyable to work at Castlefield. 

#Embrace Equity  

We share the company goals/values, receive bi-annual company reports on how the group is doing, discuss how can we achieve our goals together, are asked our opinions and what we think we can do better. As you can see from my answer, being a Co-owner of Castlefield and to have a voice in the business is a great opportunity. 

 

Karen Brown, Executive, Client Services 

How long have you been working for Castlefield? 

I have worked for Castlefield for 3 years 6 months 

When not at work, what do you enjoy doing? 

I enjoy spending time with family, going to football – Manchester United, reading, walking, gardening and knitting.  

What do you enjoy most about working at Castlefield? 

Castlefield is a friendly place to work. You are treated well and my personal experience is that nothing is too much. I have received lots of support during a challenging time. 

My role has many different tasks and is never boring. There are plenty of opportunities to progress within the company, should you wish, and you are encouraged to do so. 

 

Lucy Conboy, Senior Executive, Financial Advice 

How long have you been working for Castlefield? 

I have been working for Castlefield for just over 4 years having started in December 2018. 

When not at work, what do you enjoy doing? 

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends whether that be in Manchester or in another UK city or abroad. 

What do you enjoy most about working at Castlefield? 

Like most Co-owners, the thing I most enjoy about working at Castlefield is the culture and the people. I have made some genuine friendships and we are given the space to manage our own workloads and the opportunity to develop professionally. 

This year theme of the International Women’s Day is to #Embrace Equity. 

Can you remember example when this has happened at Castlefield? How it changed since you started? 

I have always thought of Castlefield as being ahead of the curve in embracing equity in terms of the number of women in senior management positions. It feels quite unique for a financial services firm.