Things are changing; there are more women in senior roles and more firms committing to increased diversity. But there is a long way to go before we achieve equality, and it will never happen if we don’t keep the debate alive and continue the momentum.

Of course, diversity isn’t just about gender; inclusivity means seeing past race, religion, sexual orientation, or however an individual chooses to identify.

This change doesn’t happen overnight so for now we tackle gender disparity, with damning reports out this month showing females earned 66 per cent less than their male counterparts in senior financial services roles.

During my time as editor, I have always striven to be inclusive with our contributors, and for the past two years Mortgage Strategy has been part of the BBC’s 50:50 Equality project — an initiative that encourages journalism and media to represent all factions of society. For the month of March, participants in the project have been asked to aim for 50 per cent female contributors.

Of course, nowhere in this debate are we saying ‘Woman good, man bad’. Many men feel just as strongly about parity in the sector. But in reality a woman’s experience working in FS often differs from that of a white, middle-class man in the same career.

In this issue we have deliberately focused on women’s voices; not to oust the men, but to showcase the many talented females in the industry and see the sector from their perspective. We feature some candid commentary from women documenting their experiences, and male columnists have also put their head above the parapet to speak up for equality. And of course our cover-star ladies took time out for an honest discussion on how far we have come and how much more there is to do in the industry.

I am proud of this magazine and all of its inspiring, insightful contributors. You are the reason change is happening.