This is the third and final part of a special three part series based around the launch of ICAN, the Insurance Cultural Awareness Network. This is a group that promotes multicultural inclusion and progression within the insurance sector.
Today I’m speaking with Huw Evans, Huw is the Director General of the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Huw has a background in Politics and Journalism and has served as a special adviser to the Government. I was delighted to speak with him so that he could share the benefit of his considerable experience with us.
In todays show we discuss several things including:
- The role the ABI can play in promoting diversity and inclusion in Insurance
- The need for intelligent debates and not witch hunts
- The opportunity to “take others with you” and much, much more
Here’s some of the wisdom that Huw shared:
Placing Diversity Front & Centre
Huw explains how the Insurance sector has recognised that improving diversity and inclusion is vital to its future success:
“I’ve seen significant growth of awareness of the issues, a significant growth in the appetitive to deal with them and an improvement in the data that’s needed to help make the argument”
Informing & Educating Others
Huw believes that there are lots of people in the workplace who simply don’t know enough about the issues of diversity and inclusion. He explains that a lack of knowledge does not mean they are against diversity and inclusion:
“There are quite a chunk of people who aren’t hostile, at all, they just don’t know much, if you can take them with you, you’re converting quite a large chunk of people”
Diversity & Inclusion as a Business Imperative
Huw described how the perception of Diversity & Inclusion must develop in order to create sustainable business change:
“If we’re going to make long term and sustainable change, diversity and inclusion isn’t viewed a CSR, reputational nice to have, but viewed as essential to a company or a sector’s future prosperity and sustainability ”
SHOW SUMMARY SLIDES
THE KEY TAKEAWAY
Employee Resource Groups and Diversity & Inclusion on the whole must be aligned with the business in order to create a sustainable business case.
Show notes
Here are some selected links to for the resources and reports I discuss in the episode.
Association of British Insurers
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