"Unlocking Innovation: The Power of Inclusion" – the theme of the 2023 Dive In Festival perfectly captured the mood of the insurance market as thousands of professionals across the globe joined together to celebrate the ninth edition of one of the key dates in the diversity equity & inclusion (DE&I) calendar.
Though officially concluded for another year, the topics, takeaways and lessons imparted through the festival will continue to shape narratives, objectives and strategies across the market. This is the fundamental ambition behind the initiative, noted long-time Dive In champion and international director of external affairs and media relations for Marsh, Jason Groves (pictured) – to have a material impact on attendees and the corporate agendas they help to shape.
It's an ambition exemplified by the news that the entirety of the Dive In Festival 2023 now qualifies for CPD accreditation. Delivering the update in an exclusive interview with Insurance Business, Groves highlighted that not only does its programme of events now qualify for CPD with the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) in the UK but also the Institute in the US, the Chartered Institute of Nigeria, the Insurance Institute of Kenya, the Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute, and the Indonesia Insurance Institute – with sights already set on expanding this roster.
“From the outset of Dive In, we’ve tried to make this very practical,” Groves explained. “It’s not just about people sharing experiences – as nice and as important as that – it’s also about giving people food for thought about what they can do to take things back to their organisations and make a difference to their teams.
“We have always set out with our themes and when we’re asking people to put events together, to think about how we can give practical tips to people to help them change their teams, workplaces, companies and ultimately, through that, help change the culture of the insurance industry. I think this recognition by the CII and other professional bodies around the world is testament that we’ve been successful in that.”
If you look at the culture of the insurance industry, not just in London, but globally, he said, you can see how it has shifted and evolved to become not just more diverse, but crucially also more inclusive. Topics including neurodiversity, women’s health and domestic violence which were previously championed only by a few bold pioneers are now sparking consideration, conversation and change across the market – and Dive In has played a critical role in making this happen.
“Dive In is all about the ripple effect,” Groves said. “It’s not just about the event but how the people who attend – and many of these events attract several hundred attendees – take what they’ve learnt away and action it. And we’ve seen that repeatedly over the last nine years.”
With the tireless help and support of the CII and the other professional bodies that have thrown their weight behind this CPD accreditation development, the ripple effect of the Dive In Festival is poised for significant growth. He highlighted that almost all the event’s sessions will be available on catch-up on the Dive In Festival website before moving over to its YouTube channel – which has proven a popular resource in recent years.
Groves strongly encouraged insurance professionals to make use of these resources, not just as a way to bring actionable practices to bear within their own organisations – but also as a great way to earn CPD. Making the accreditation process happen has been the product of the time, energy and passion of a multitude of people across the Lloyd’s team, the CII and the broader global insurance profession, he said, and he’s deeply proud that they were able to make this happen.
Hailing the “tremendous success” of Dive In 2023, he highlighted how the theme of the festival has resonated among attendees. The link between inclusivity and innovation has struck a chord with so many across the market, he said, perhaps unsurprisingly, considering the quite daunting complexity of the current risk environment and the role innovation plays in helping the industry support clients through the myriad of challenges they face.
“I think the general consensus of this week’s Dive In Festival is that inclusive workplace cultures make coming up with that innovation so much easier,” he said. “This is a diversity and inclusion agenda that is completely linked to business success, which I think is why it’s resonating so well. And it’s so interesting when you decide on a theme and then you tune into the events and hear people talking about innovation and inclusivity – and you realise it resonates all over the world.”
It's fantastic to be able to share the news about Dive In’s CPD accreditation partners today, Groves said, and he’s looking forward to welcoming many more insurance professional bodies to signing up for CPD accreditation status so that no matter where you are in the world, you can earn CPD points through Dive In. Looking to the future and the upcoming 10-year anniversary of the festival, he voiced his hope that it will be the biggest yet as well as an opportunity to reflect on the progress made by the industry and to consider where it goes next.
Taking stock of Dive In 2023, Groves expressed his warmed thanks to the organisers, attendees – and most of all the volunteers who made it such a roaring success.
“I want to thank the 500-plus volunteers that have helped put together all these events,” he said. “We say quite glibly that there’s around 130 events but every single one of those requires the most extraordinary amount of work and dedication to put together. So, I want to thank every single volunteer for the care and effort they’ve gone to in order to make every single session really fantastic – and something people can take something positive away from.”
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