CFP Board launches initiative to recruit women for financial planning

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. on Wednesday launched an outreach initiative aimed at bringing more women into the financial planning profession. A group of experts comprised of CFP professionals called the Women's Initiative Council, will provide guidance on the development of enterprises intended to engage and pave a way for more women to enter the industry. “The need to attract more women to financial planning and to make this career path more attractive to women presents a huge opportunity for women and for business,” said Nancy Kistner, chairwoman of the Win Council, said in a statement. (More: Schwab launches program to boost diversity in RIA industry) The group's top priorities are to identify reasons why relatively few women choose to go into the financial planning profession, make recommendations for encouraging women to pursue careers in the field and to undertake efforts and campaigns to address the gender disparity in financial planning. Members of the council have expertise and extensive backgrounds in diversity, women's issues and recruiting. Some also come from leading financial planning and advisory firms. InvestmentNews contributing editor Mary Beth Franklin is a member of the council.