The 1970s – 1980s

Another hurdle involved changing management's attitude towards 70% of the bank's own staff.

Rowland Frazee, CEO: With some urging, some real urging by a group of women in this very building who met with me and gave me the shock of my life when they told me that we were failing them, and I had no inkling what this was about until just before I went in and my secretary said to me, "Be prepared for some bad news." And I said, "What do you mean?" She said, "I'm just... I'm not going to say anything else, but I'll give you that little bit of advice," and she said, "Above all, listen!"

Anne Lockie
Former VP Quality Service & Planning
Re: 1981/82

Anne Lockie: They felt they got a very good hearing from him, that he understood what they were saying and that he understood there was something more systemic going on, that there were cultural things that were happening that were really preventing women from playing a fuller role. And so, as a result of that conversation, he decided to strike a task force.