Dive In: fostering a more inclusive and productive industry

“The Dive In Festival was created to highlight the compelling business reasons for diversity and inclusion in insurance,” Jason Groves (pictured) explained, adding that this concept was initially not well understood when the festival began 10 years ago.

Groves is global director of media and external relations at Marsh by day and has been chair of the Dive In Festival since 2018. The festival’s international expansion means events are now held in 50 countries. 

Reflecting on Dive In’s inception, Groves told Intelligent Insurer in an exclusive interview how it had started as a committee of inclusion at Lloyd’s of London in 2015 and evolved into a board by 2017.

Initially focused on four areas—gender, disability, sexuality, and ethnicity—Dive In has broadened to cover a wide range of topics, but its overall remit remains the same.

“People should come away from a Dive In Festival event with actionable insights,” Groves said.

“Dive In is a lifeline for those in regions where discussing diversity is still taboo.” Jason Groves

He cited significant attendance growth, with 30,000 people attending in 2020 and around 500 volunteers contributing annually. 

The shift to online and hybrid events during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for broader access.

“Dive In is a lifeline for those in regions where discussing diversity is still taboo,” Groves observed.

Highlighting recent initiatives, he discussed events on neurodiversity and menopause, which have encouraged open conversations in the workplace. He stressed the importance of addressing difficult topics and providing practical tips for managers and employees. 

“Dive In aims to engage people at all levels and foster a more inclusive and productive industry culture,” he explained. 

On talent

Discussing the challenges of attracting talent to the insurance industry, Groves noted that it requires a concentrated effort. 

“It’s very easy to attract the children of people who’ve worked in the insurance industry, or people who go to top universities, because we pay relatively well, but there’s a need for the industry to promote itself more effectively to a broader audience,” he said.

Highlighting how many people get into insurance “by accident”, Groves stressed the importance of deliberate outreach efforts in schools and universities. 

“We need to talk about what our industry is doing, especially regarding significant challenges such as cyber resilience and other global issues,” he said.

“For example, no major artificial intelligence initiative is going to be successful without the insurance industry,” he added. 

Groves also highlighted the industry’s importance in the transition to net zero carbon, saying: “Investors are not going to invest in renewable technology that can’t get insurance.”

On inclusion

Groves emphasised the importance of inclusive workplaces to retaining talent. 

“A big part of creating inclusive environments has been the development of quality employee resource groups,” he said.  

These groups are typically grassroots initiatives that help develop better company policies and, according to Groves, the smartest companies are the ones that encourage, fund, and listen to them.

Speaking about his experience at Marsh, Groves recalled: “I set up the Pride group here over a decade ago, and three of us turned up to the first drinks meeting.” 

Things have changed a lot since then, and now these groups can positively impact careers by providing opportunities to engage with senior executives.

On women

Groves stressed the need for company policies to support women returning to the workforce after having children, pointing out how flexible work arrangements had been beneficial, especially post-COVID, and emphasising the importance of balance between office and remote work for productivity and collaboration.

“Flexible arrangements have demonstrably helped women at certain stages of their careers,” he said. 

He added that understanding issues such as the impact of menopause would also lead to better workplace policies and environments.

On under-represented groups

Groves highlighted the importance of raising awareness about insurance to support under-represented groups entering the sector. 

“For example, the population of London is 40 percent people from non-white backgrounds, and that is clearly not the makeup of the London insurance market,” he said. 

To address this disparity, Groves emphasised the need to engage with schools, to promote the industry to diverse communities.

Groves shared an example of a successful initiative, saying: “Marsh runs a summer internship which typically attracts people from families where no-one has worked in financial or professional services.” 

He recounted the story of a young woman who participated in this programme. After initially planning to study media studies, she switched to marketing and eventually to economics after her internship experience. 

Groves explained: “She finished her course and then went on to the graduate scheme of one of the brokers—she’s now become an assistant underwriter.”

On LGBTQ+

Asked about significant changes he would like to see in diversity and inclusion practices within the insurance industry, Groves expressed a desire for improved diversity statistics. 

“It’s clear, certainly in the UK, that the government is going to mandate further reporting on this in certain areas, and it’s the old dictum of ‘what gets measured gets managed’,” he said. 

Groves highlighted the need for more companies to focus on neurodiversity and for the inclusion of more women in leadership roles.

He noted the lack of visible LGBTQ+ role models in the industry and mentioned the challenges faced by Dame Inga Beale, the former CEO of Lloyd’s, who is bisexual. 

“There are several senior LGBTQ+ people in the industry who have looked at Inga’s experience, and the homophobic bullying she suffered, and have become more reticent to talk about their sexuality openly,” he said. 

“Role models are important for encouraging talented young LGBTQ+ people to join our industry and stick with it through their careers. Senior LGBTQ+ execs should be able to talk about their experiences without being accused of ‘banging on about their sexuality’, as one executive memorably described it to me.”

He emphasised the importance of incremental changes, citing the progress made since the first Dive In Festival in 2015, where he encountered significant resistance when promoting LGBTQ+ allyship.

On the future

“The fact that many CEOs across the insurance industry are signed up to this, and they all think it is important, is very special,” Groves said. 

He encouraged continued engagement and incremental changes to attract and retain diverse talent capable of addressing major industry challenges.

He mentioned two additional initiatives: continuing professional development accreditation for Dive In Festival events and reverse mentoring. 

Groves explained: “Every Dive In Festival event is accredited by the CII and a range of international institutes.” 

Regarding reverse mentoring, he said: “We soft-launched this last year, but it’s been very successful.” 

This programme connects mentors and mentees from around the world, offering diverse perspectives and fostering global connections.

The Dive In Festival 2024 will run from September 24 to 26. To find out more visit www.diveinfestival.com 

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