Investing in People

In our interconnected world, there is a strong business case for developing and maintaining a diverse workforce. After all, having a mix of perspectives, experiences, and ideas can lead to more innovation and better decision-making. Studies have shown that companies with diverse workforces often deliver better financial results.

But, as our CEO noted in Stifel’s Annual Report last year, that is not the proper lens through which to view diversity and inclusion. In his words: “It’s not about numbers; it’s simply the right thing to do.”

Although Stifel has been in operation since 1890, most of our growth has occurred over the past 25 years both organically and through acquisitions. Over that time period, we have grown from approximately 800 employees to more than 8,500. Despite growth of more than tenfold, we have continued to strive to improve the diversity of our organization.

A diverse team is critical to our ability to meet the financial needs of the increasingly diverse and discerning communities we serve. While a diverse workforce reflects the world that we inhabit, we recognize that being an inclusive company is just as important. Inclusion encompasses how we value and respect the contributions and perspectives of all our people. We insist on diversity, inclusion, respect, and engagement in all that we do, across the firm.

Affinity groups at Stifel bring together people with shared interests or backgrounds to support and advance their agendas. The Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) was formed to engage and equip women throughout Stifel with networking and mentoring tools to help them achieve goals in their personal and professional lives. WIN is the first of what we hope will be many affinity groups at Stifel.

We also invest in the communities where we operate and where our teams live. Through philanthropy and through the volunteerism of individual employees, we support many worthy causes every year.