Patty Fuster on working with clients for greater D&I impact

Patty Fuster chairs Standard Chartered’s D&I Council in the Americas. With the Upwardly Global Equity Gala coming up, where the Bank is a major Corporate Honouree, Patty shares insights about our partnership with them. She also reflects on her journey towards promoting diversity and inclusion and highlights the importance of celebrating our D&I achievements.

Tell us your role and how long you’ve been at the Bank.

I’m Patricia Fuster – or Patty as everybody calls me – and I’m the CIO for Europe and the Americas. That means I manage all technology-related items in the 12 countries that we

have in this region.

I moved to New York in 2003, initially working for a Latin American bank that Standard Chartered purchased.

20 years ago, exactly! How has your role changed or evolved over that time?

I started out working on technology projects. One of the most rewarding projects was moving the office from our previous location to our headquarters today, a beautiful office with great views of the city in Bryant Park. That was an extensive two-year project, as it involved moving the entire Bank! However, as time passed, I transitioned to a more ‘business as usual role’.

When did you first get involved with D&I?

My first involvement was with our various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). At that time, I was working in our Newark office, and many of the D&I activities happened in our Manhattan office, so I got more involved to try to get more advocates and activities happening in Newark.

When the Bank partnered with the Zahn Innovation Centre to launch a Women In Tech Incubator, I was really thrilled. I felt very close to the initiative and would jump into the events as they really resonated with me.

I think that what jumps out there is that rather than seeing something that needed fixing, you saw a real connection with your own experiences.

That’s right. It was like I was in a minority group without knowing I was. I was always the only woman sitting at the table in the technology boardroom. I’m here with my strong Latin accent, talking to New Yorkers. It made me realize there is a minority group here, and they need help.

Was there a tipping point where you realized you wanted to take an even more active role in D&I?

I believe my journey as a mentor sparked this realization.. When I was working on projects, I would travel to India quite frequently; and I was often asked to talk to groups of women there to share my career journey. I was constantly moved by how intently they listened, how they connected with my story, and how they shared their own struggles. It highlighted the cultural differences but also the significance of finding common ground.

How did these experiences lead you to the more formal position of Chair of the D&I council?

It started with being a member of the technology council and our focus on D&I. We were working hard on using technology to increase inclusion, such as on projects that make certain systems accessible to people with a disability. For example, we introduced a ‘read loud’ option on emails so that visually impaired people can listen to their emails.

The changes seem small, but they’re significant accomplishments and make a difference to how inclusive we are as a bank.

As a Bank, we’ve been doing a lot in D&I but have yet to let the outside world know. I joined the Council so that we can bring our work and ideas together, focus them, and then use that to actually move the dial.

Is that one of your key priorities for the Council? To look outwards more?

Absolutely! The Bank is committed to advancing Diversity & Inclusion and has set its agenda for 2023, with a focus on Clients, Gender, and Ethnicity. We are aligning all our efforts towards achieving our Americas D&I targets. To this end, our ERGs are collaborating with clients to strengthen our engagement and partnership with them. We are also working with Corporate Affairs and senior leaders to increase employee volunteering and reach a participation rate of 55%.

How does that work with clients?

It’s about collaborating with them. If we do that successfully, we can make even more progress in the D&I space while also strengthening our client relationships.

We’re also putting a lot of effort into a D&I pitch book and showcasing the various D&I-related awards that the Bank has earned over the years. This will enable everyone across the Bank to comprehend our D&I efforts. It’s a great sign of growing maturity as an organisation when anyone – not just top-level executives – can speak knowledgeably about D&I. .

Collaboration has come up a lot in our conversation – with the Zahn Centre and clients. Tell us about our connection with Upwardly Global…

Upwardly Global is a fascinating organisation that works in two ways. First, they work with immigrants arriving in the US to remove any barriers in place. If they’ve been professionals in their own countries, they might need help with adapting to the culture, learning the language, or finding suitable job opportunities. And then they collaborate with various organisations to offer mentoring opportunities, connections, and support.

Over the last decade, the Bank has supported its mission to help skilled immigrants and refugees find meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities in the United States. This year, I am honoured to have the opportunity to accept an award on behalf of the Bank, acknowledging our efforts towards this cause. If you’d like to support Upwardly Global’s mission of assisting immigrant job seekers, here is a link to make a donation to the Gala.

We touched on the D&I Council’s priorities earlier. What action can people take that you think would really help the council meet its objectives?

I believe accountability is crucial. We can’t just do the ‘wine and cheese’ events if we’re going to change things. As a result, we also invested in the development of Cultural Advocacy trainings. We need people to reflect on the role they can play every day and encourage them to see if they can make more of an impact.

Finally, is there a personal ambition you have for D&I in the coming years?

Certainly. Back when I started on the council, we lacked a tool to measure the maturity level of the council and our work in D&I. Now that we have such a tool, I aim to bring the council to the next level.