Goldman Sachs says it wants women to eventually make up 50% of its global staff, a pledge that came shortly before it revealed one of the worst gender pay gaps for financial services firms in the UK.

In a message to staff on Thursday, Goldman's chief executive Lloyd Blankfein and president and chief operating officer David Solomon, wrote: "The advancement of women in the workplace — and more broadly the state of diversity at our firm — is top of mind for all of us."