A panel of top professionals will next month meet to discuss diversity in the workplace as part of International Women’s Day.

Jointly hosted by professional services firm PwC and the Women’s Legal Network, the panellists include Chief Justice Ian Kawaley, Catherine Bromilow of PwC, Patrick Tannock, president of XL Insurance (Bermuda), Elizabeth Cava of Deloitte, and Robin Mayor, a director at legal firm Conyers Dill & Pearman.

David Gibbons, PwC Bermuda diversity leader, said: “We focus on diversity because it’s the right thing to do and we know that it’s good for our business.

“Organisations that invest in diversity report seeing a number of advantages, such as an increased ability to attract talent, greater innovation and improved financial performance.

“The International Women’s Day panel will look at what it takes to build a diversity and inclusion programme that is able to realise these benefits.”

The campaign theme for this year is “Be Bold for Change” and the panel was created in a partnership between PwC Bermuda’s gender diversity initiative, led by Talia Lucas and the Women’s Legal Network, which was cofounded by lawyers Lovette Tannock and Kimberley Caines.

Ms Lucas said: “We recognise that there is no quick fix response to getting diversity right. This event is an opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and successes.”

She added that global research by PwC had found 90 per cent of CEOs said their organisation had agreed that diversity policies attracted talent, while 85 per cent said it enhanced business performance and with 83 per cent saying it strengthened their brand and reputation.

But the survey pointed out that those views are still not reflected in global leadership.

Another PwC report found that the common view that women were underrepresented at the top levels of business was due to a failure to provide enough support for new mothers returning to work was untrue.

The data gathered showed that turnover for new mothers was lower than the wider employee base and that more women and men leave their jobs only at the most junior grades.

A spokeswoman for WLN said: “There’s a natural synergy for this discussion to take place between business and legal professionals as collectively we look to examine the successes we have achieved and prepare for the future.”

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 8 at 5.30pm at O’Hara House on Hamilton’s Bermudiana Road.

To register to attend visit www.iwdbermuda2017.com. To learn more about International Women’s Day, log on to www.internationalwomensday.com.