Event host and proud trans woman Eva Echo (she/they) an activist, writer, and public speaker with a focus on transgender rights, opened this event by expressing the importance of the topic. Speaking about her school years when she was bullied for being different, she discussed how especially now with the influence of social media, there is a need to push for change. Eva Echo opened the discussion with guests Max Slack and Dame Inga Beale. Slack (he/they) a trans content creator, speaker and activist discussed his experiences on social media, stating the anonymity, lack of accountability and legal protection puts …
Continue reading “Faceless Abuse – Combating Social Media Bullying”
The first event in the UK calendar was opened by Lloyd’s CEO John Neal and host Krishnan Guru-Murthy. The event kicked off by introducing the 2022 festival theme of ‘Building Braver Cultures’, noting that this is the eighth festival since launching in 2015, and is set to be the biggest and best yet. Lloyd’s CEO John Neal spoke about how we are at a pivotal moment in history, not just for Lloyd’s and the insurance industry, but for society in general. We have never had such a good opportunity to change the way we do things. So, now is the …
Continue reading “A Bird’s Eye View: Building Braver Cultures”
Four members of the LGBT+ community within the insurance industry courageously and authentically shared their lived experiences around being an LGBT+ person, reflecting on how it has impacted their work life, the importance of treating everyone with human decency and how allies play a role in the workplace. The panel was facilitated by an ally which created the perfect setting for learning. The facilitator was Kira Kimball, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Marsh McLennan Agency and the panel included Oliver Botta from Willis Towers Watson, J.C. Fulse from Chubb, Theresa Farrenson from Aon, and Jamee Anthony from Philadelphia …
Continue reading “Allies Through Their Eyes: True Stories of Allyship From LGBT+ Colleagues”
At this year’s Dive In Festival, IGI’s PR and Marketing AVP and Diversity and Inclusion Leader Aaida Abu Jaber, spoke with Jordanian/Palestinian Writer and Director Najwa Najjar Najwa about this year’s Dive In theme, active allyship, exploring the importance of teamwork, allies and a support network in succeeding in the workplace. A key topic discussed within the interview was the value of a supportive culture within the work environment. The importance of having allies that encourage and strengthen career progress, no matter your industry, is integral to the overall success of the team, Najwa said. She also talked about the …
The Japan Dive In Festival 2021 kicked off with the keynote session “No One is Perfect – Introduction to Allyship” co-hosted by Lloyd’s Japan, HDI and Aon. Conducted at Sophia University and broadcasted live, the aim of the session was to develop a deeper understanding of what allyship is, the importance of it and what we can all do to become stronger allies. The keynote speaker of the session, Mr. Hirotada Ototake, a well-known writer, who has tetra-amelia syndrome, a congenital limb difference affecting his arms and legs, expressed his thoughts on the recent Tokyo Paralympics and his vision on …
Daniel Clarke, Senior Business Development Manager and co-chair of the APAC D&I advisory group at Kennedys, opened the discussion by welcoming Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark and former CEO of Save the Children International, as well as Thandi Dyani, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Girls Are Awesome and former CEO of Impact Hub Johannesburg. The speakers were fully engaged entering into the event, discussing how the theme of the Dive In Festival, active allyship, can be both personal and systemic, making it quite complex. They reflected on how and it is all about empathy; being able to see and …
Continue reading “Active Allyship – a discussion on actual actions”
Openly discussing racism in the Brazilian Industry Aon Brazil People Leader, Andrea Milan, opened the event by commenting on the importance of discussing the issue of racism in Brazil and then thanking colleagues that were attending the session and the two debaters. Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion at the Moreira Salles Institute, Viviana Santiago took to the floor. A black, single working-mom, Viviana discussed the challenges she has faced, and in doing so, highlighted the true meaning of intersectionality: the interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, and gender and the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or …
At the start of the session, keynote speaker Gus Worland, media personality and founder of mental health initiative Gotcha4Life, was introduced by Catherine Carlyon, Country Manager for AXA XL in Australia who has always challenged unfair conventions throughout her career, such as not allowing female employees to wear trousers when she started off in the UK. Gus focused on the key theme of mental fitness, discussing that just like physical fitness, mental fitness needs to be exercised regularly. He looked at three ways this can be achieved: by giving someone your time, by giving them communication and connection, and by …
Dive In Chair Jason Groves opened this event by discussing the success of this year’s Dive In Festival, before passing the floor to Lloyd’s Chairman and fellow cricket lover, Bruce Carnegie-Brown. Bruce discussed his upcoming appointment as Chairman of Marylebone Cricket Club (MMC) and the parallels between Lloyd’s and MCC as they strive to adapt in a modern and changing world. He described D&I not as a challenge, but as an opportunity, and noted that Lloyd’s short term ambition for women in leadership in the market remains 35% by end of 2023. He compared the challenges of the marketplace to …
Continue reading “Resilience and Bounce Back: Lunch with Sir Andrew Strauss”
The first event in the UK calendar was opened by Dive In SteerCo Chair and Marsh Global Director of Media Relations Jason Groves. He introduced the festival’s theme of “Active Allyship”, urging festival attendees to take responsibility by turning commitments into action. Before handing over to the panel, he gave thanks to the 500 volunteers who have made Dive In 2021 possible. Equality Forward founder Michelle King hosted the opening event, revealing that 96 per cent of us have experienced an inequality moment at work, and that despite the $8bn a year spent in the USA on diversity and inclusion …
Continue reading “Dive In UK Opening Event: Post Pandemic: Diversity and Inclusion the new normal”
24 September 2020
CNBC Africa anchor Esther Awoniyi opened the event by thanking sponsors Aon for facilitating the second ever Dive In Nigeria. She then put the issue of gender diversity in Nigeria into context: a recent survey by International Monetary Fund ranked Nigeria in the bottom 50% in the world for countries that support gender equality in the workplace, something that be seen clearly in the Nigerian insurance industry.
24 September 2020
Before introducing the panel, event chair Director at Vercida Consulting, Dan Robertson, shared some eye-opening statistics on social mobility in the UK. Most notably he revealed that individuals from working class backgrounds are 80% less likely to make it into professional jobs.
23 September 2020
Helen Sharman: “I realised that we were basically the same people, we just wanted to be needed, be useful and wanted the best for our families.” In this inspiring event, Anna McNamara, Group Chief Operation Officer at Tokio Marine Kiln spoke to first British Astronaut, Helen Sharman about her extraordinary journey to space. Helen discussed the importance of finding common ground and building life-long relationships with a large international team as well as battling loneliness and isolation.
23 September 2020
At this year’s Dive In Festival, Brenda Trenowden CBE, Partner in Diversity & Inclusion consulting at PwC, chaired a discussion on how the insurance industry can attract and retain diverse talent.
23 September 2020
The Black Lives Matter movement provided the necessary backdrop to frame this conversation. George Floyd’s death brought all the difficult topics to the forefront, while the Amy Cooper incident captured the essence of white privilege. Delving into issues around racial imbalances can take many forms and come from a range of perspectives. It was in that diversity that this discussion laid plain the depth of problems surrounding it. At the same time, it became clear that there is no single remedial approach as these issues permeate different parts of society in various forms.
22 September 2020
In an emotive event, chaired by Felipe Stevenson, Communications Lead at Roche Services and Solutions, speakers from across the industry highlighted their experiences of racism and xenophobia in Switzerland.
22 September 2020
This eye-opening event was chaired by Heather Connery, CRB Chief of Staff at Willis Towers Watson. In tune with the festival’s theme, the event was focused on the importance of being your authenticself and how other people’s perspectiveis often the biggest barrier to those with ‘visible and ‘invisible’ disabilities.
22 September 2020
This is not the first time allyship has been covered at Dive In, but unlike previous years, this event recognised that the concept of allyship can be applied more broadly. Previously the term ally was used by the LGBT+ community for those who but stood beside them and defended them. This year we have seen the term applied to different areas of diversity, most notably the concept of white allies standing beside their black peers to confront injustices. This was the context given by the LMA’s Clare Lebeq before inviting the panellists to say what allyship means to them and how we can all be better allies.
22 September 2020
The event opened with a moving video from RSA in which individuals shared their experience of mental wellbeing during the global pandemic. The message was clear: mental health has affected all of us in one way or another over the past few months.
22 September 2020
The first virtual event of Dive In 2020 UK opened with a ‘bing’ on the morning of 22nd Tuesday. It was opened by CEO of Lloyd’s, John Neal, who reminded us of the opportunity we have been given to “build back better” and create diverse and inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.
10 October 2019
Pauline Miller, Head of Diversity and Talent at Lloyd’s and Advisory Board Member of Girl Up opened the event by reflecting on her experience with Girl Up. She pointed out that although the insurance industry has made great strides in improving gender equality, the sector must continue to move the dial.
26 September 2019
CEO of Guy Carpenter’s International Division, James Nash welcomed the audience and contextualised the conversation of courage in the insurance industry, pointing out that the insurance industry needs to have the courage to take action and embrace a broader culture that reflects society.
26 September 2019
The event was opened by Amanda Lucas, L&D, Talent and Dnl Manager at Allianz Global Corporate and Speciality, who bravely shared her story about her own experience of domestic abuse. She spent years trapped in a relationship where she constantly felt unsafe, uncomfortable and vulnerable in her own home.
25 September 2019
Bruce Carnegie-Brown opened the event at Markel, paying tribute to the Dive In festival for its extraordinary impact in bringing together the insurance industry on the subject of Diversity and Inclusion. With Lloyd’s soon to announce the Future of Lloyd’s, its blueprint for the future of the market, Bruce reminded the audience it has never been more relevant to be having these conversations about the future of the working world.
24 September 2019
Who better to invite back to speak at the Dive In Festival about bullying than former England international rugby player and ally Ben Cohen? Hugh Brennan, CEO at festival sponsors, Renaissance Re opened the event with fond reminiscences of Ireland/England rugby world cup matches as he welcomed Ben back to Lloyd’s in his capacity as founder of the Stand-Up Foundation against bullying and harrassment.
24 September 2019
The Great Gender Debate was hosted by Aviva and Partner Network Group GIN (Gender Inclusion Network), on 24 September in London, featuring Marshall Bailey OBE in conversation with broadcaster, author, Government advisor and retail expert, Mary Portas.
24 September 2019
Alistair Swift opened the event for hosts and Gold Sponsor Willis Towers Watson, welcoming a packed auditorium, in defiance of the rain’s attempts to put a dampener on the start of the 5th year of the festival.
23 September 2019
PwC kicked off 2019’s Dive In Festival by asking how technology in insurance can be used to create attractive, culturally inclusive and purposeful working environment that represents women and men playing an equal part in creating and developing the new tech products and services that are shaping our world.
20 September 2019
CEO of Guy Carpenter’s International Division, James Nash welcomed the audience and contextualised the conversation of courage in the insurance industry, pointing out that the insurance industry needs to have the courage to take action and embrace a broader culture that reflects society.
Dive In festival kicked off [yesterday] to an inspiring start focusing on the issue of gender diversity. BBC News’ Jane Hill began proceedings, chairing a session with XL Group’s CEO Mike McGavick, Lloyd’s CEO Inga Beale and Karren Brady, Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge, encouraging gender equality in the workplace to a packed Willis Auditorium.
When Alvin Hall was hired on 7 December 1982, he was the first black person on Wall Street in a training capacity. “I was walking on eggshells all the time,” he said. “I remember one very bigoted man who told me I wouldn’t be around in two years. He said ‘we’re going to eat you up and spit you out’. My Grandmother was my best mentor. She told me to ignore those people and their comments and let them go.”
Appearing at the Dive In festival only a week after returning from Rio, Ellie Simmonds OBE and Libby Clegg spoke about their success at the Paralympics and their take on disabilities.
The phenomenal Clare Balding, UK sports and TV presenter, children’s book author and campaigner for women in sport, joined Dive In in London on Tuesday night and asked the audience to take two messages away from the evening.
Unconscious bias is a challenging issue for the insurance industry to tackle in 2017. However on 27 September over 200 insurance professionals in Melbourne helped to raise awareness of unconscious bias and the practical solutions available both now, and into the future.
In order for a company to be successful in today’s environment it must reflect society. But generally large corporations don’t move at the same pace as society. Progress has been made but it is slow. And there is a difference between progress and change, progress is a slow and steady incline, change is a platform you can stand on.
During the panel on the skills gap in 21st century insurance Dr Tim Willis (DWP), Mike Thompson (Barclays), Andrew Grill (Practical Futurist), Justin Emrich (London LMG), and Sebastian du Zulueta (LM TOM Innovation Exchange), provided engaging commentary on the inevitability of an ageing workforce; the ways employer practices must adapt to accommodate both the young and old, and how technology is disrupting insurance.
There is something really special about a double act. The two handed story telling of Neil Laybourn and Jonny Benjamin MBE is a clever but simple device for conveying different perspectives on the same story. It certainly delivered in Willis Towers Watsons’ packed auditorium this morning in London, when they shared the incredible story of how Neil talked Jonny down from jumping off a bridge. That experience led to their campaign to de-stigmatise mental health issues, raising awareness so that other sufferers can be helped, particularly young people.
27 September, 08:30 - 10:00, Marsh, 1 Tower Place, Lower Thames Street, London, EC3R 5BU, London, United Kingdom
Day three of Dive In in London saw Marsh play host to BBC journalist Victoria Derbyshire as panel moderator for an event called ‘Mind the Diversity Gap’. Jason Groves, Dive In Committee Chair welcomed everyone to Marsh reflecting on the festival’s positive growth and reach into markets including Saudi Arabia new for this year, before introducing keynote speaker, Lloyd’s Chair, Bruce Carnegie-Brown.
26 September, 11:30 - 12:30, Aon, The Leadenhall Building, 122 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 4AN, London, United Kingdom
Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Aon, Katherine Conway played host to a best practice sharing event in London that posed the questions: Is there a class ceiling? and Does institutional classism exist? In her introduction she made the point that social mobility is not one of the protected characteristics that guards against discrimination at work, making it doubly important to approach it pro-actively.
26 September, 08:30 - 10:00, Lloyd's, One Lime Street, London, EC3M 7HA, London, United Kingdom
Day 2 of Dive In in London got off to a powerful start with a Lloyd’s hosted event featuring two extraordinary change agents, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, Laura Bates and former international rugby player, Gareth Thomas.
25 September, 13:00 - 14:30, QBE, Plantation Place, 30 Fenchurch St, London, United Kingdom
Brian Kirwan, CEO of Allianz chaired this debate hosted by QBE, stressing for the audience that the teams weren’t necessarily representing their own views in arguing for and against inclusion.
25 September, 08:30 - 10:00, Willis Towers Watson, 51 Lime Street, London, United Kingdom
The 4th Dive in Festival’s first event in London ‘Awareness into Action: The Ripple Effect’ was moderated by the BBC’s security correspondent, Frank Gardner and featured Paddington rail crash survivor, Pam Warren alongside Gian Power, the founder of a purposeful speaker organisation, The Lions Club (TLC). Nicolas Aubert, CEO of WTW opened the event calling for action on inclusion in a nod to the festival’s theme this year, #time4inclusion.