Mumbai:

The 6th edition of the global Dive In festival, which celebrates diversity and inclusion(D&I) in the Insurance industry, was held virtually from 22nd September to 24th September 2020 in over 30 countries.

Dive In is a global movement in the insurance sector to support the development of inclusive workplace cultures. Its mission is to enable people to achieve their potential by raising awareness of the business case and promoting positive action for diversity in all its forms.

The global theme for this year's festival is Authenticity & Perspective nad other themes for this year’s edition included mental health, inclusivity in multi-generational workplaces, among others.

The festival urges the industry to look beyond traditional definitions of diversity to level the playing field for talent comprehensively including gender, gender identity, age, cultural background, sexual orientation, social mobility, faith, caring responsibilities, mental health, and physical impairments.

The India festival was organised by AIG, Lloyd’s, Swiss Re and Willis Towers Watson and Anviti Insurance Brokers
 

“ I believe organizations that have understood and have already embraced D&I as part of their strategy will have an edge today and in a post-pandemic world." said Amit Kalra, MD & Head, Swiss Re, Bangalore.

Whether it be employee well-being and mental health, or mutual trust and empathy, the anxiety and uncertainty of these times have shown that the quality of being human lies at the heart of inclusion, he added… 

Shankar Garigiparthy, CEO & Country Manager, Lloyd’s India said, “We are committed to building a more diverse and inclusive culture within Lloyd's market, but we have much more yet to do. We recently published our Culture Dashboard intended to track Lloyd’s collective progress towards a much more inclusive environment and have prioritised action improving the gender balance across the market. We have also resolved to improve the experience, level the playing field and increase the representation of Black and Minority Ethnic talent in our market.'' 

“There is undoubtedly a long way to go, and it takes every single one of us to really accelerate change. But we are absolutely determined that we can and will create a culture in Lloyd's market in which everybody can flourish,'' he observed.

Munish Sharma, Head of AIG India Finance Centers and Nikhil Philip, Senior Director, AIG India Analytics CoE said,“ The diversity of our people is one of AIG’s greatest assets that brings great pride to us. It helps us to better understand our clients, increase innovation and reduce risk.''

“As we build the AIG of the future, we continue our focus on fostering a culture of inclusion that is designed to attract, develop, and retain diverse talent. We invest in each employee through a wide variety of programs and initiatives – seeking to ensure that our people are not only respected as individuals, but also truly valued for their unique perspectives,'' they said..

Rohit Jain, Head of India, Willis Towers Watson said, "To thrive in this changing world, organisations need to adopt a healthy company culture, where inclusion and diversity is steeped in the employee experience, enabling them to bring their best selves to work. Willis Towers Watson recognises that the best ideas come from the collaboration of a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, abilities and preferences, and that this is central to giving organisations a competitive advantage. We are excited to partner with Dive In and are committed to bringing in positive change in the way organisations and society at large embrace Inclusion and Diversity."

Jonathan Pipe, CEO & Principal Officer, Anviti Insurance Brokers Private Limited said, “COVID-19 has provided a lasting reminder that no matter our race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, we are all equal. Through these unprecedented times we have witnessed examples of the very best of society coming together in displays of unity and support.

 The India event saw the participation of nearly 600 delegates across sessions from all over the country including CXOs and senior executives from the Indian insurance industry.

Since its birth in 2015, Dive In has grown exponentially, reaching global heights with events taking place across 32 countries world-wide, attracting more than 10,000 people.

Bangalore city hosted Dive In for the first-time last year.