Initiative launches to improve diversity and inclusion in the London insurance market

EDII, an innovation, education and development company, has partnered with London Works, part of the East London Business Alliance (ELBA), to drive diversity, inclusion, equality and retention in the insurance industry.

The announcement comes one week after the launch of EDII. The aim of the partnership is to ensure those from under-represented areas have the opportunity to participate in EDII’s award-winning Digital Minds programme. The hope is that the course will lead to job opportunities and career development in the insurance industry. The 12-month programme launches in June 2021 and will have at least five delegates joining via the ELBA network.

EDII has established a sponsorship programme where companies from the insurance industry will provide financial support to ELBA delegates. Markel International is one of the first sponsors of the initiative.

“EDII’s mission is to open doors to the insurance industry for under-represented talent,” said Caroline Bedford, chief executive officer at EDII. “The ELBA/EDII partnership will give places to students and young people from areas of inequality and low social-mobility. The Digital Minds programme not only provides the opportunity to upskill existing market talent but to increase the diversity of the insurance industry enabling delegates from inside and outside the industry together to learn side by side. We look forward to the fresh perspectives ELBA’s candidates can give the programme – and the insurance market.”

Carolyn Simmonds, business manager at London Works, which is ELBA’s commercial diversity recruitment arm, added: “We are honoured to be partnering with EDII on this programme that supports ELBA’s mission to improve social mobility. The innovation that EDII is championing to attract talent is simply ground-breaking and will help to address the lack of diversity in a lot of firms, but also give opportunity to those who are often overlooked due to unnecessary barriers.”

Based in London, ELBA is the leading social regeneration charity in East London and Islington. Established in 1989, it facilitates corporate involvement in community organisations, education and employment across the East London boroughs to increase job opportunities for those from under-represented communities. ELBA has placed more than 12,000 business volunteers into more than 300 local organisations, schools, colleges, and universities every year, and helped several hundred local people into work.

EDII, which launched in May 2021, runs the industry-first Digital Minds programme which brings together insurance market professionals to influence innovation and digital transformation in the London Market. The aim of EDII is to immerse insurance professionals in the latest digital technologies and technique to empower them to become champions for creative change within these markets.

“Digital Minds is a unique programme bringing together cross-market talent to both learn and execute on innovation and new ideas,” said Hélène Stanway, market engagement and adoption lead – data, Future at Lloyd’s. “Diverse perspectives are a cornerstone to developing new ideas and solutions to the insurance market and beyond: Digital Minds creates the forum to do just that.”

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