A group of six will ring the bell for gender equality - a hot topic in the world of wealth management - at 43 global stock exchanges from 2-10 March.

A global collaboration across 43 stock exchanges are to “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” to celebrate International Women’s Day 2017, a reminder of how industry players are increasingly ramping up efforts related to female inclusion in both a business and client service context.

The events are a partnership between Women in ETFs, UN Global Compact, UN Women, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative, IFC, and the World Federation of Stock Exchanges.

The aim is to raise awareness about the business case for female economic empowerment and the opportunities for the private sector to advance gender equality and sustainable development.

Ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative is due to publish a report on Monday that highlights how businesses can, and are, improving gender equality.

Among other points, it notes that women take home one tenth of global income, while accounting for two-thirds of global working hours. It also pinpoints a 2016 review of 1,000 listed companies by Bloomberg, showing that the average representation of women in leadership was - at the time - just 23 per cent in senior management and 21 per cent on boards. Just 4 per cent had a female chairperson and 3 per cent had a female chief executive.

But the global economy could be up to $28 trillion larger in 2025 if gender gaps were eliminated, it argues. Female representation in leadership has been shown to improve performance metrics such as ROA, ROE, and EPS, while also reducing volatility, it says.

The 43 bell ringings will take place from 2-10 March.