Investing in Human Capital
Investing in our people is the right thing to do. Bringing together a variety of experiences, backgrounds and thinking is essential to serving our clients and fulfilling our mission to make a material and positive difference in their lives.
Simply put, we cannot provide the first-rate performance, advice, and service that our clients deserve without a long-term commitment to investing in our colleagues. A critical piece of this investment is our belief in creating an inclusive environment that helps our colleagues contribute at the highest level and reach their potential.
Our Pillars
Alice Paik, Chief Strategic Advisory Officer.
We cannot be an innovative firm without a pronounced commitment to each other and to investing in our colleagues.
- The Principal and Partner promotion process considers a candidate’s leadership in advancing the firm's DNA.
- All of our business areas incorporate a commitment to inclusion as part of their strategic plans.
- For the fourth year in a row, we earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, the U.S. benchmark for corporate policies and practices to support LGBTQ+ colleagues.
- We allocate a portion of our charitable giving to organizations that support economic advancement in our communities.
Lily Andersson, Private Client Senior Relationship Associate, Olivia Chan, Private Client Senior Relationship Advisor, Pavi Sandeep, Private Client Relationship Advisor.
We must be extremely intentional about our recruiting and retention strategies. We aim to source a broad pool of candidates through Colleague Resource Group networks, relationships with HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions), mentoring programs, and academic and professional organizations.
- Our mentoring programs and pairings are dedicated to ensuring the success of all colleagues and advocating for their growth and development.
- Under the leadership of Mia Contreras, director of diversity, equity and inclusion, recruiting, and learning and development, our recruiting team searches for exceptional colleagues as we strive to be the employer of choice for candidates, including those from underrepresented groups.
John Mai, Technical Help Desk Senior Manager, Tiffany Ernest, Director of Infrastructure, and Isaac Land, Desktop Support & Site Installation Support Analyst.
Through periodic surveys, focus groups and audits, we obtain data about the colleague experience at Brown Advisory—and provide quantitative measures to accompany our objective to continually consider what it feels like to be in someone else’s shoes.
- We report data on the diversity of our hiring, retention and promotions because we believe in transparency.
- We conduct anonymous biannual surveys to hear directly from colleagues and to understand how the firm can help them be successful.
- Comprehensive pay audits are conducted biannually to ensure fair compensation for all colleagues.
We partner with organizations dedicated to helping and empowering women and girls, especially those in underrepresented groups. Their work focuses on inclusion, education, health, and social services and includes closing the gender gap in business and government, mentoring, furthering, and supporting women’s rights, preventing abuse, and providing direct services to people in need.
Brown Advisory Ltd has been a signatory to HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter since 2022 and has a goal that by 30 June 2026 at least 30% of its Partners will be women. We will work towards this target by creating, and maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment for all Brown Advisory colleagues and ensuring that our firm-wide gender diversity initiatives are encompassed within the five pillars of our DE&I effort which include Assessment, Hiring, Retention, Training and Community.
Nonprofit partner examples: Invest in Girls, Him For Her, International Women’s Forum, UK Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter, Girls Are Investors (GAIN).
Brown Advisory colleagues brainstorm during a strategy session.
We place enormous value on curiosity and continuous learning. To live up to our responsibilities to our colleagues as well as to members of our communities, we must strive to understand and reflect on our respective experiences.
- Our "cultural conversations" help to foster dialogue around colleagues' respective experiences.
- Cultural and heritage celebrations invite us to learn about each other and share meaningful traditions.
- Colleague Resource Groups host book clubs that use the power of books to build community and create opportunities to share perspectives.
Colleagues participate in various CRG events across offices.
Colleague Resource Groups
Our voluntary, colleague-led Colleague Resource Groups support our colleague experience by providing opportunities for community, connection and shared learning.
The CRGs actively partner with a wide variety of community organizations. These partnerships serve as important tools for expanding the firm's network and broadening the aperture for our recruiting efforts. Our seven CRGs support colleagues and allies who identify as:
- Asian and Pacific Islander
- Black and African American
- Hispanic and Latinx
- LGBTQ+
- Military and First Responders
- Parents and Caregivers
- Women