Aviva is a financial services firm. Its CEO is Amanda Blanc. She must have nothing to do. If so, the firm, its investors, clients and staff would be better off if Amanda just admitted it and disappeared.

Speaking at a UK parliamentary committee hearing on sexism in employment, Amanda proudly announced that senior white male recruits cannot be appointed in Aviva without her personal sign off. She states this is essential to achieve her goal of increased diversity hiring.

This sounds as if Amanda has the mindset, and maybe the skillset, of a junior hire in the HR department with a chip on (insert pronouns here) shoulder.

Call me old fashioned but I think the CEO should be focused on the bigger picture of implementing board strategy, improving customer satisfaction and improving investor returns. To be digging around and sticking her beak into the recruitment process if, and only if, there is a risk of recruiting a white male into a senior role, means she is not doing her real job. Too much time on her hands.

I can imagine how deflating this CEO must be to staff morale. Deflated staff morale will work its way through to poor customer service and deteriorating financial returns. Aviva is on my list of companies to avoid.