Of course, we should also support projects that foster excellence and value added in our work by not only harnessing all talent, but also by including environmental and social risks in our vision as a central bank. 8  I am personally championing the analysis of environmental risk and sustainability at my organisation. Like the promotion of equality, this is an unquestionably innovative project that requires empathy and a long-term vision. Undoubtedly, it also requires an unprejudiced ear and a very open mind to achieve patient learning and progress. Both topics are of great significance to society and may encounter resistance at first, often out of ignorance. Hence the importance of bringing together as many people as possible to address these challenges and, of course, of good communication to help raise awareness. Does my gender have a hand in this? I’m not sure, because the Banco de España’s commitment is unanimous. That said, this is perhaps a topic where women demonstrate greater awareness. Indeed, it was a woman, the biologist Rachel Carson, who is said to have sparked the modern environmental movement. She sounded the first scientific alarm about the death of the planet at the hands of human activity. It is also true that in Europe the European Commission and the ECB are leading the charge against climate change. Both institutions are led by women. Furthermore, according to a survey conducted by the Elcano Institute, women are more environmentally conscious.
Broadly speaking, the innovation, empathy, tact and care displayed by these leaders in their pandemic communication and management contrast sharply with other stances. I believe those studies suggesting, increasingly clearly, that female leadership can be distinct and beneficial are being borne out by the facts. 1  Gender Gap Report 2018 published by the World Economic Forum  3  According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Report 2020, which covers 153 countries, Iceland ranked as the most gender-equal country in the world for the 11th consecutive time, followed closely by other Nordic countries such as Norway, Finland and Sweden. Despite being very different culturally, Spain managed to achieve eighth position. This is not a bad result, but there is no room for complacency. Public and private institutions and listed firms must drive this revolution. The CNMV recently published its new Good Governance Code, in which it recommended that women occupy at least 40% of the seats on IBEX-35 listed firms' boards by 2022, up from 30% previously. I have already mentioned the Banco de España's research in this area. I would like to single out the research paper by one of our economists (Laura Hospido) together with two economists from the European Central Bank, studying the gender gap at the ECB. I will also briefly mention a second study from our Structural Analysis and Microeconomic Studies Department, in which a similar assessment is conducted for the Banco de España.