Effect of managerial and operational gender diversity on financial performance: an investigation on Borsa Istanbul commercial banks

Abstract

Purpose- This study aims to investigate the effect of gender equality/diversity practices on financial performance at the management and operational level. Methodology- The financial indicators of the four commercial banks included in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) for the years 2016-2021 have been compared with Borsa Istanbul commercial banks not included in the index through descriptive statistics. The effect of being included in the index on firm performance has been analyzed with the panel regression method. Return on assets and return on equity has been used as financial performance criteria. Findings- The average market value/book value, return on assets and return on equity of the companies included in the gender equality index are higher than the companies not included in the index; It has been determined that the loans/deposit ratio and average asset size are lower than the companies that are not included in the index. The results of the panel regression analysis have shown that being included in the gender equality index positively affects the return on assets and return on equity. Conclusion- Determining the positive effect of gender diversity on financial performance at the management and operational level will be a guide for practitioners, investors and regulators. Keywords: Gender diversity, gender inequality index (GEI), financial performance JEL Codes: C23, G30, J16