Regulators Issue Final Dodd-Frank Standards for Assessing Diversity Policies and Practices of Covered Entities in the Financial Services Industry

On June 10, 2015, the much-anticipated joint final standards (“Final Standards”) issued by six federal agencies (“Agencies”) in accordance with Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 ("Act") for assessing the diversity policies and practices of the entities that they regulate (“Covered Entities”) were published and became effective.   Covered Entities include financial institutions, investment banking firms, mortgage banking firms, asset management firms, brokers, dealers, financial services entities, underwriters, accountants, investment consultants, and providers of legal services.  In issuing the Final Standards, the Agencies stated that their goal is to provide a framework for an entity “to create and strengthen its diversity policies and practices . . . and to promote transparency of organizational diversity and inclusion.”

My colleagues Lauri Rasnick and Dean Singewald have written an Act Now Advisory describing the Final Standards and explaining important steps financial services employers should take now.

Read the full Act Now Advisory here.