• Report highlights work undertaken during the industry’s Year of Inclusion including events with the 30% Club, the NCBI and the Disability Federation of Ireland

Issued 29 November: Insurance Ireland has launched a report on its Year of Inclusion initiative as a best practice guide and to highlight the work undertaken by its members on diversity and inclusion. 

The Year of Inclusion initiative involved a calendar of events held with organisations including the 30% Club, the NCBI and the Disability Federation of Ireland to consider inclusion issues to help understand and tackle shared challenges. The report details this experience and includes contributions from Ed Sibley, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, Brid Horan of the 30% Club Ireland and Sandra Healy, the Head of Inclusion at DCU and one of Ireland’s leading advocates for inclusion and gender equality. 

Speaking at the report’s launch at its annual President’s Conference, Kevin Thompson CEO of Insurance Ireland said, “With the Year of Inclusion, we created a platform for our members to engage with diversity and inclusion experts to share their experiences and to support change at all levels in our sector.” 

“If insurance is to remain an employment of choice, it is essential to have genuinely inclusive workplaces. In addition, the increasing level of focus on culture in a regulatory context means diversity and incision is vital for any regulated firm. The evidence of the Year of Inclusion is our members are engaged on this issue, such as the attendance of 240 people from 90-member companies at the launch event and the continuation of discussions at industry and company-specific events.”

Frank Mee, Insurance Ireland President, said “Each company will have a different approach to diversity and inclusion, so this report will aid their understanding and give them the benefit of other insurer’s experience in this area. The activities undertaken throughout the Year of Inclusion were an important first step in engaging our staff and stakeholders on diversity and inclusion. Building on this platform is a priority for Insurance Ireland through its Inclusion Task Force.”

Ed Sibley, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland stated, “I welcome Insurance Ireland’s Year of Inclusion and the creation of an Inclusion Taskforce, as a progressive step, and I hope it is a successful one. I encourage all insurance companies to meaningfully address diversity and inclusion in the boardroom, at the executive level and through the development of the pipeline of talent needed to run organisations in the long-term.”

The Inclusion Report also includes an overview of inclusion activity from Insurance Ireland members Allianz Worldwide Care, FBD, Irish Life and Liberty Insurance. 

The report was launched at Insurance Ireland’s President’s Conference which looked at the theme of Insurance Technology or ‘InsurTech’. Insurance Ireland has led the development of an InsurTech ecosystem in Ireland which aims to help insurers utilise new technologies in the interests of customers. 

Ends. 

Notes:

•Insurance Ireland is a member of the 30% Club Steering Group on Financial Services 

•The Year of Inclusion initiative is included in the quarterly updates for IFS2020, the Government’s strategy to promote financial services in Ireland

•Insurance Ireland reached 30% female representation on its Board in March 2017

•Insurance Ireland launched an Inclusion Task Force in 2015 to consider inclusion issues in insurance and this group has overseen the rollout of the Year of Inclusion 

Contact:

John Byrne

Communications Manager, Insurance Ireland

Tel: 01 644 7781 / 087 9383852

Nuala Buttner

Q4 Public Relations

Tel: 01 475 1444 / 085 174 4275

Insurance Ireland Inclusion Report 2017

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