MADRID, 8 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

This Friday, the Spanish Stock Exchange held an honorary ringing of the bell for gender equality to commemorate International Women's Day, Spanish Stock Exchanges and Markets (BME) reported in a statement.

This event is part of the 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality' initiative promoted by the World Federation of Stock Exchanges and Sustainable Stock Exchanges together with the UN Global Compact, UN Woman and IFC.

This aims to promote gender equality and women's autonomy in the workplace, markets and community, as well as the benefits of doing so.

'Ring the Bell For Gender Equality' is celebrated in more than a hundred financial centers around the world. In the case of Spain, this is the seventh consecutive time that BME and the UN Global Compact Spain have joined this initiative, which turns 10 years old in 2024.

Participating in the honorary bell ringing this Friday were Cristina Sánchez, executive director of the UN Global Compact Spain, and Monserrat Martínez-Parera, vice president of the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), as well as Javier Hernani, CEO of BME, and Beatriz Alonso-Majagranzas, Director of Markets.

Cristina Sánchez has highlighted that 83% of the Ibex 35 have gender equality policies and 91% have set objectives to increase the representation of women in the workforce and in decision-making bodies. "However, there is still much to do. Investing in women is an imperative to build just societies," she stressed.

For her part, Monserrat Martínez has highlighted that the presence of women in the private sector has improved and today listed companies are close to the recommendation of the CNMV Good Governance Code of 40%, although less than 10% reach executive positions. .

"The Spanish business reality is broad and the measures cannot be the same for everyone, but with a good diagnosis and good incentives we will achieve a more inclusive society," he added.

BME has been part of the UN Global Compact since 2011, and since 2015 also of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative, which seeks to promote sustainable investment through the Sustainable Development Goals established by the UN for the 2030 Agenda.