Mentorships remain among the best strategies organizations can adopt to elevate the careers of minorities and women.
However, one leader is making the case for being more proactive about increasing diversity at the highest levels of insurance.
“I think there’s still confusion about mentorship and sponsorship,” said Ingrid Wilson (pictured), director of governance & audit at the Canadian Association of Black Insurance Professionals (CABIP).
“There are many mentorship programs, and I have many mentees whom I meet with and talk to. But sponsorship is different. Sponsorship is walking into a space and speaking about someone, even though they’re not there.
“So, if a role comes up in the organization and there’s somebody you think would be great for this role, it’s sponsorship when you’re promoting that person.”
Ahead of her panel engagement at the Women in Insurance Summit Canada in June, Wilson spoke to Insurance Business about the power of actively advocating for individuals even in their absence.
She said her personal encounters with supportive executives who championed her advancement in the insurance industry exemplify the power of sponsorship. Wilson was most notably vice president of human resources and CHRO at Echelon Insurance, where she spent more than 17 years.
“When I was up for VP, one of my CEOs decided to do it on his own,” Wilson recalled. “He stepped in front of the board on my behalf.”
Today, Wilson wants to pay it forward – and believes other insurance organizations should, too. As a board member of CABIP, she spearheads efforts to create pathways for sponsorship and mentorship tailored to Black insurance professionals.
“It’s a very different process from mentorship, and through CABIP, we’ve found that many organizations struggle with sponsorship,” Wilson said, adding insurance leaders should avoid “checking boxes” and instead embrace allyship.
“It’s about giving leaders an opportunity to understand how they can make an impact as sponsors,” she said of CABIP’s work.
Despite strides toward better diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in Canada’s insurance industry, Wilson acknowledged persistent challenges women and Black professionals face in pursuing leadership roles.
“I am still the only Black chief human resources officer in the Canadian insurance industry,” she said, underscoring the stark reality of underrepresentation at leadership levels.
Wilson also noted that the expectation that women may prioritize caregiving roles over career advancement perpetuates gender disparities in senior leadership. Because of this, sponsorship from male allies can be transformative.
“You’re still in a very male-centred industry,” Wilson said. “You need somebody that is intentionally sponsoring you and moving you forward because there’s still this expectation in the industry that if you are a woman, you can’t lead the same way because you have a home life and responsibilities.
“Whether that’s taking care of children or elderly care, there’s this assumption that women can’t lead a group of people because you won’t have the time.”
Wilson also pointed out that dynamics around networking and industry events can marginalize women and individuals from diverse backgrounds.
“If you are a woman who has personal responsibilities or someone from a different culture who doesn’t drink and doesn’t partake in that kind of situation, you are going to be excluded,” Wilson said.
Still, there’s reason for optimism about the expanding network of support and the growing visibility of diverse voices in the industry, including the progress spurred by CABIP.
However, Wilson stressed that collaboration with allied organizations and ongoing dialogue around inclusion remain critical.
“I was lucky to have two CEOs who walked me through the process,” she reflected. “But now we have to turn around and give back and include others in that process as well.”
Want to join the conversation on sponsorship and mentorship? Register now to join the Women in Insurance Summit Canada on June 18, 2024.
