Dive In Festival 2021 calls for active allyship

12 July 2021 | David Young

The 7th global festival for diversity and inclusion confirmed for 21 – 23 September 2021

Dive In Festival 2021 calls for active allyship

Since its launch in 2015, Dive In has continued to grow in both numbers and geography. Last year the festival saw its highest turnout with over 30,000 attendees, from 35 countries taking part in 144 online events. This year attendees will once again be able to participate in virtual events all around the world, breaking down geographical barriers and creating a stronger global dialogue on diversity and inclusion.

Dive In provides the insurance industry with the opportunity to take decisive actions to improve diversity and inclusion within the workplace and covers topics including mental health, social mobility, neurodiversity, privilege, and cultural diversity within the workplace. This year's festival will concentrate on the need for active allyship. The theme will call on attendees to turn intention into action and take responsibility for making changes that will help others be successful.

Attendees of the Dive In 2020 festival heard from over 500 speakers on a range of topics from mental wellbeing to disability. In Israel speakers discussed the importance of women in insurance technology; whilst in India, panels highlighted the need for greater trans inclusion. Events in South Africa delved into the urgency of social cohesion in tackling racism, and Bermuda discussed the need for allyship in transforming organisational structures. Events focused on unconscious bias also generated huge engagement in Mexico and Taiwan, carrying on important conversations around implicit social cognition and racial equity. Detailed event reports are available on the Dive In Festival website along with videos from the festival with digestible learnings and tips from our speakers. Many full event recordings can be found on Dive In's YouTube channel.

Reflecting on the success of last year's festival and plans for Dive In 2021, global festival director ahead of culture at Lloyd's, Pauline Miller, says: "The virtual nature of last year's festival allowed for a truly global perspective on diversity and inclusion. The pandemic changed the world as we know it and we were pleased that the festival could act as a platform for conversations around pertinent issues such as employee well-being and flexible working in the new normal. This year we aim to not only reflect on the learnings of 2020 but focus on making real change. The global success of last year's festival has provided us with a strong basis to turn good intentions into equitable outcomes."

Head of inclusion & diversity at Willis Towers Watson, and member of the Dive In steering committee, Jen Denby adds: "We are delighted that Dive In will be continuing for its seventh consecutive year. 70% of people who registered last year had never attended a Dive In event previously, telling us we still have so many more people within the industry (and beyond) that we need to reach. We hope that Dive In 2021 will provide the insight and action we need across all areas of the globe to make a real impact on D&I in insurance."

The festival continues to count on the support of its Global Festival Partners. Already confirmed are: AIG, Arch Capital Services, Aon, Aviva, AXA XL, Axis, Chubb, CNA Hardy, DLA Piper, Gallagher, Howden Group, Kennedys, Lloyd's, Markel, MS Amlin, RenRe, RMS, Tokio Marine Kiln and Travellers.