International locations and online webinars will deliver a global Dive In Festival for 2016
Festival extended to include broader insurance market participation
XL Catlin announced as major sponsor
Call for volunteers to help programme new content streams
25 February 2016, London: Inclusion@Lloyd’s, the group that governs diversity & inclusion strategy and promotes best practice for the Lloyd’s market, is pleased to announce the new global facing Dive In Festival for diversity and inclusion in insurance will run from 27th to 29th September 2016.
After a successful first year, with more than 2000 registered attendees, the festival is broadening its audience mandate beyond the Lloyd’s market to include the wider companies market in 2016. As well as increased participation among insurers with a London presence, the festival will also expand across the UK and internationally. Dive In branded events will be hosted in cities including Beijing, Sydney, Paris and Chicago.
Dominic Christian, Chair of Inclusion@Lloyd’s, CEO of Aon UK, and President of the Insurance Institute of London said:
“The first Dive In festival demonstrated that there was huge appetite in the wider insurance sector to collaborate around an event to deliver broader reach and greater impact. Last year the focus was on raising awareness of the fact that diversity and inclusion are good for business. The message for 2016 hasn’t changed, but will also include changing behaviour, not just attitudes, in order to advance positive commercial outcomes, realise productivity gains and enhance innovation in the industry.”
Amongst those supporting the festival, XL Catlin will be the platinum sponsor. Commenting on the announcement, Paul Jardine, Chief Experience Officer at XL Catlin, who also sits on the Inclusion@Lloyd’s Group said:
“At XL Catlin we believe that diversity drives innovation, creativity and profitability in all aspects and types of business. The pressure is now on leaders in the insurance industry not only to talk the talk, but walk the walk. We have an inspirational D&I champion in the shape of CEO Mike McGavick, who at last year’s festival, hammered home that message saying: “If it doesn’t come from the top it goes nowhere” and he is absolutely right. But it’s also important to remember we all have a responsibility to promote diversity, that’s why we, as a company, are keen to lend our support to this event to kick start the countdown to Dive In 2016.”
This year there will be more events, more capacity and additional themes including multigenerational workplaces and families and carers. Volunteers are encouraged to come forward if they have experience of working in any relevant network groups to help programme the content and organise events. Groups already formed but looking to refresh membership include Women in Insurance, LGBT, Multi-cultural diversity and Workability, which covers both physical and mental health.
A video learning library of D&I content from the first Dive In festival is now available on the web site at www.diveinfestival.com.
Pauline Miller, Lloyd’s Head of D&I commented:
“The festival creates a useful focus for D&I, but we need to educate, engage and embed D&I principles into our everyday business. These videos are bite-size, free, quick to view but still pack a punch in terms of impact and I would encourage people to watch them to create an inspirational bridge from Dive In 2015 to the next event in September 2016.”
For more information please contact the Dive In Press office: divein@gongcommunications.com
To download the press release click here.