An asset management group installed a sculpture of a young girl facing the famous charging bull in New York Citys financial district Tuesday morning.

State Street Global Advisors, the worlds third-largest asset manager, put up the bronze sculpture as part of an effort to call on the 3,500 companies it invests in to increase the number of women directors ahead of International Womens Day. The company, which managed just under $2.5 trillion in assets at the end of last year, said it would vote against corporate boards that do not take steps to increase gender diversity.

We believe good corporate governance is a function of strong, effective and independent board leadership, Ron OHanley, the companys president and CEO, said in a statement . A key contributor to effective independent board leadership is diversity of thought, which requires directors with different skills, backgrounds and expertise. Today, we are calling on companies to take concrete steps to increase gender diversity on their boards and have issued clear guidance to help them begin to take action.