Working alongside NAB to help women take control of their finances
This article was produced in partnership with NAB Broker
In the dynamic landscape of mortgage broking and finance, economic empowerment serves as a cornerstone for women's success and advancement.
Loan Market Geelong managing director Sarah Thomson (pictured above left) and Zella Money director Cait Bransgrove (pictured above right) lead by example, empowering both female customers and team members.
Their dedication to fostering a culture of empowerment, combined with strategic initiatives undertaken by NAB, reinforce the collective commitment to gender equity and inclusion in the broker channel.
Thomson, an award-winning broker and business owner, said economic empowerment was about giving customers the confidence to take control of their own financial future.
“Our role is to explain financial matters so they can fully grasp what they're doing with their money, giving them the courage to make informed choices, even when things get tough,” Thomson says.
“When women seek our help, many doubt that they can get a loan. Economic empowerment is about helping them realise what they can achieve and take charge of their financial lives.”
As a business owner, Thomson actively mentors her team and seeks to empower employees to advocate for themselves within a professional framework.
“I promote initiatives such as salary negotiations and performance reviews, recognising the significance of providing team members with the opportunity to evolve within their roles as confident women,” she said.
Echoing Thomson’s comments, Bransgrove emphasised the importance of creating environments where women could thrive and actively participate in the economy.
“Economic empowerment should be where conditions are created where women have equal access to opportunities, decision making powers, equal pay, workplace equality and representation,” Bransgrove said.
“As a young woman in finance, I’ve made it a goal of mine to prove to other females that it is in fact possible to excel in male-dominated areas and that there is room for everyone, no matter who you are.”
NAB empowers women, provides support at all levels
Empowering women is an important element of how NAB supports customers and employees, and helps the broader community prosper in an increasingly global marketplace.
NAB executive, broker distribution Adam Brown said NAB was committed to supporting all genders at all levels of the business.
“NAB has implemented professional developmental programs, internal sponsorship from senior management, 50/50 male-to-female graduate intake, as well as active participation in industry and aggregator partnerships,” Brown said.
A recent report from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) shows that compared to other major banks, NAB had the lowest gender pay gap at 18.8%, 7.3% better than the industry average.
“We still have work to do as an industry but it’s encouraging to see in the latest MFAA Industry Intelligence Service Report that the proportion of female brokers in the industry has increased for the first time in 18 months,” said Brown.
The experiences of inspiring women such as Thomson and Bransgrove, backed by NAB, the bank behind the broker, show that the industry is on the right path to empowering women as brokers, business owners and customers.
NAB Broker Distribution is dedicated to helping brokers deliver the best customer outcomes, supported by a national network of experienced BDMs and dedicated support through every stage of a customer’s home lending experience. As the Bank behind Brokers, we will continue to invest in the broker channel to provide brokers the tools and support they need to help their customers, empowering them to build success on their own terms.
