Insurance Europe

Belgium

• Financial institutions joined forces to establish a single “Women in finance” platform in 2018 to promote gender balance within the sector and raise awareness of diversity and inclusion matters.

• Every year, one insurer organises a “reverse mentoring session” in which the members of its executive committee are the mentees and junior employees are their mentors. The initiative helps the executive committee members to remain in touch with younger employees, for whom it is an opportunity to learn more about the organisation and career development.

• One company entered into a partnership with Passwerk for the redevelopment of its website. Passwerk taps into the qualities and talents of people on the autism spectrum in various fields. It combines an economic dimension with a social dimension to offer services to clients.

• A company active in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands developed a guide to DEI principles to ensure employees are aware of the many dimensions of diversity (eg, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality and ethnicity, physical or mental abilities). The guidance explains how to achieve inclusion in the workplace, including the best strategies to manage and develop employees to promote inclusive behaviour. Infographics were developed to support the dissemination of the messages. On the HR side, the company developed a guidance document to further develop a hiring process that opens the talent pool to everyone who is qualified to do the work.

• The same company offers employee networks, which are voluntary, employee-led groups in the areas of diversity for which the company strives. The networks that it offers to open are: LGBTQ, gender equality, ethnicity and international cultural heritage, working parents, intergenerational, mental health, disability and youth.

Austria

• Following the formal appointment of a DEI officer in 2020, the Austrian insurance association (VVO) established a DEI Committee. Under the auspices of two members of the management board, the Committee aims to improve the embedding of DEI in all areas and processes of the association and ensure consistency with its DEI strategy. To anchor the foundations more firmly, training sessions were held on equal treatment law in the workplace.

• The VVO launched a number of initiatives in 2021 that emphasised the association’s commitment to DEI. For example, companies celebrated International Women's Day as well as Pride Month, in the course of which a network for members and supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community was also founded. Office buildings were used as prominent ambassadors with an impressive rainbow display: “Orange the World” against violence against women and #purplelightup for a barrier-free economy.

• To develop the most effective support measures for women in management, the VVO conducted an in-depth analysis of the status quo. This analysis was part of the indexing process for the Women’s Career Index. One of the most significant measures developed on the basis of the analysis results was a comprehensive update of the VVO’s recruitment guidelines. These are designed to promote diversity in all teams and at all management levels, ensure equal opportunities for all employees, and guarantee an objective and transparent selection process for managers. In addition to the new recruiting guidelines, a mentoring programme was launched to support talented individuals in their personal and professional development.

• In order to establish a standard for geographically flexible working, some companies concluded an agreement on the introduction and handling of home offices. For companies and employees, there are new opportunities and possibilities to design communication and ways of working in a more future-oriented way. The compatibility of work and private life is to be an important goal in this context.

• Measurability is an essential criterion for the successful implementation of any strategy. For this reason, a company created an inclusion index as part of a regular employee survey. It indicates the level of success in creating a working environment in which appreciation, equal opportunities, fairness and belonging can be experienced by a diversity of people. The index questions were included in the survey for the first time in 2021 and now serves as an important indicator of DEI.

• The increasing shortage of skilled workers, which will only get worse in the coming years due to demographic changes, has been identified as a major challenge for the future. To fight these challenges, a company founded a new generation network which surveys the needs and expectations of different age groups. The company also launched a country-wide apprenticeship scheme.

• A company launched an initiative called the DisAbility Performance Check which is a detailed analysis of the circumstances of people with disabilities. Based on the results, a strategy for the gradual expansion of inclusion was developed. The measures already implemented include an improved accessibility to its website for people with disabilities as well as communications around the Day of People with Disabilities.

Luxembourg

• A company active in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands developed a guide to D&I principles to ensure employees are aware of the many dimensions of diversity (eg, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality and ethnicity, physical or mental abilities). The guidance explains how to achieve inclusion in the workplace, including the best strategies to manage and develop employees to promote inclusive behaviour. Infographics were developed to support the dissemination of the messages. On the HR side, the company developed a guidance document to further develop a hiring process that opens the talent pool to everyone who is qualified to do the work.

• The same company offers employee networks, which are voluntary, employee-led groups in the areas of diversity for which the company strives. The networks that it offers to open are: LGBTQ, gender equality, ethnicity and international cultural heritage, working parents, intergenerational, mental health, disability and youth.

Netherlands

• The Dutch association of insurers, the VVN, is among the signatories to a national initiative called the Diversity Charter. As a signatory, the insurance sector is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. More and more of the insurance companies become signatories to this Diversity Charter.
  

• Increasing a diverse and inclusive labour market is one of three focus points of the Social Agenda of the insurance industry.
  

• The DEI working group has delivered a step-by-step plan “Getting started with DEI” to support smaller insurance companies in making further progress in implementing their DEI policy. This step-by-step plan is full of information, inspiration and examples from the sector and will be supplemented this year with a webinar on this subject.
• A joint Equal pay working group was established to gain insight into the possible pay differences between men and women within the insurance industry.
• Several of the (larger) insurance companies have developed their own policies in the field of diversity and inclusion and truly see the benefits of a diverse organisation and promote this.

Czech Republic

Members of ČAP, the Czech insurance association, focus on a range of areas that promote DEI. There are projects to support young talent, facilitate the employment of disabled people, run training programmes for employees aged 55+ and to keep in touch with retired employees.

ČAP members also focus on women, with, for example, a “Women Managers Club” or efforts to create a more balanced representation of women in management roles. Employers also focus on supporting employees on maternity/parental leave. The promotion of diversity is supported through courses for employees.

Denmark

• One company has introduced several initiatives to increase LGBT+ inclusivity so that everyone can be their full and true selves at work, feel they belong and be empowered to make a difference. These include:

• Six hours of training for all employees, based on UNESCO’s competency framework for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to create a common language and understanding for discussing DEI issues and to increase employee awareness.
• A partnership with Stonewall, the LGBTQ+ rights organisation, to provide benchmarking, webinars, etc.

• Publishing analysis of the median gender pay gap across all its business units in its yearly sustainability report.

France

• The parental and child welcoming leave for fathers was extended to 28 days (including birth leave) as of July 2021. Insurers decided to go further with supplementary financing to guarantee 100% of salary.

• In the insurance industry, more than half of all managerial positions are occupied by women (51%), up 6 percentage points since 2009 (source).

• In February 2021, insurers signed an agreement on diversity and equality with the trade unions to promote inclusion and combat all forms of discrimination. It covers concrete measures in four areas: combatting discrimination against all those covered by the agreement (women, LGBT+ individuals, the young, older people, handicapped workers), professional and wage parity for women and men, measures to combat sexual harassment and violence, and further inclusivity policies (source).

• Individual companies have also implemented DEI policies and launched various DEI initiatives.

Germany

• The AGV, the employers’ association of insurance companies, has been very active since 2012 in improving the number of women in leadership positions. In 2013, it established an advisory board, consisting of both female and male C-level members, who help the AGV to run projects and improve gender equality at senior career levels. Due to the high rate of female insurance employees who work part-time (42% of women in the sector work part-time, but only 6.4 % of men) and the still widespread belief that leadership needs full and constant involvement, as well as other cultural issues, women are still underrepresented in management positions. Nevertheless, since establishing the advisory board, the proportion of women on Executive Boards has risen from 5.7 % to 18,4 %.

• The AGV strongly believes in the power of role models. The more women in leadership positions there are, the more that will follow. Therefore, since 2012, the AGV and its advisory board regularly hold a major conference for top female managers, which gives them the opportunity to network beyond their own companies and which inspires them to help other women in their company to develop their career. The conference is very popular; it is estimated that nearly two-thirds of top female managers regularly attend. Pleasingly, the AGV’s women in leadership conference has been copied by a lot of companies, which hold similar conferences for their own staff. In 2020, the AGV also launched a virtual mentor talk with female C-level members called “Inspiring female leadership”. In 2022, AGV set up a digital network for female managers, which focuses on personality-strengthening topics that support female careers.
  

• The AGV’s women in leadership network gives its members the possibility to share best practice and to learn from each other. Several workshops and surveys have been held, such as women in sales, corporate culture and part-time leadership. The network is currently working very intensively on topics such as gender equal pay and tandem leadership.
  

• To further promote diversity in the insurance industry, the AGV founded a Diversity Expert Group, which comprises the diversity officers of companies. Since 2020, they have been meeting regularly to exchange information about their activities on diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination and related measures. 24 companies or groups of companies are involved in the group. The network meets virtually every three months and exchanges information on good practices and current issues and experiences. The open exchange and discussions in small break-out sessions offer practical added value to daily work. The results of this expert group are made available to all members in order to provide impetus for further and new activities in all member companies. Since 2023, AGV has been organising an annual Diversity Day where it shares good practices from the industry. The event is aimed at all member companies.

• Companies are increasingly focussed on DEI and are committed to an open and tolerant working environment. One company that cooperates with various LGBTI+ initiatives and has also taken part in various campaigns can now call itself an LGBTI+-friendly employer having won a gold PRIDE Champion award. Another company has committed to increasing its number of female executives globally to at least 40% by 2025. The inclusion & diversity strategy of this company goes beyond gender and, depending on the regional focus, also includes ethnic diversity, LGBTIQ+ or different generations. Another company promotes intergenerational dialogue with the help of mutual mentoring between young and old. In general, it has proved very successful in AGV member companies when members of the Executive Board have taken on sponsorship for certain diversity projects.

Greece

• In 2023 the Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies (HAIC) carried out a survey amongst its members to map the state of play in the Greek insurance market regarding the DEI initiatives and practices DEI presently in place and regarding the number of employees of its member companies, allocation per sex and age characteristics. The survey aimed strengthen the awareness of HAIC member companies and to further promote DEI best practices and initiatives.
  
• Insurance companies are increasingly focused on initiatives promoting equal opportunities in the workplace and the elimination of prejudices in the workplace with the aim of cultivating an inclusive culture and creating a supportive environment for all employees. Insurance companies have developed and implemented DEI initiatives, in the areas the following areas:

• Training, such as seminars, speeches and workshops aim to raise awareness among all employees on issues of equal treatment, diversity and inclusion, sexual harassment in the workplace, empowering women, as well as creating understanding for the daily challenges faced by people with disabilities and vision problems.
  
• Career development, such as projects providing equal opportunities for employees.
  
• Policies/codes of conduct on recruitment, training, personnel management and the inclusion of new employees in the workplace.
• Policies with the aim of encouraging and supporting a work-life balance through teleworking, training programmes and flexibility in parental leave, as well as physical and mental wellness programmes, such as exercise programmes and psychological and nutritional support services.
• Three companies have signed the European Commission’s “Diversity Charter”.
• Sponsorship of study of the Centre of Gender and Equality Policy Studies regarding the female position in the contemporary Greek society.
• Whistle-blowing policies that encourage employees to report issues such as sexual harassment and corporate codes of conduct.

Ireland

• Insurance Ireland is a leading supporter and signatory to Ireland’s Women in Finance Charter (the Charter) which is an industry-led, government supported measure to encourage gender diversity in the financial services industry in Ireland. It is part of the government’s Ireland for Finance Strategy. Insurance Ireland chairs the Charter Operations Group. Ireland’s Women in Finance Charter data partner, The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published their first annual report for the Charter in June 2023. At the end of Q3 2023 78 Financial Service firms had signed up to the Charter with over 50 000 in employee headcount.
  

• Insurance Ireland has an Inclusion Taskforce which meets on a quarterly basis to discuss DEI initiatives within its membership and externally. Insurance Ireland publishes a DEI newsletter twice a year capturing topics/themes discussed at our quarterly meets.
• On an annual basis since 2021, Insurance Ireland has partnered with its strategic alliance partners Deloitte to carry out a Diversity survey. Its purpose is to understand the current diversity landscape, reflect where the industry is doing well and identify any gaps to enable future improvements. The survey focused on three areas: gender, nationality/ethnicity and age. Here are links to our annual reports:
  
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• In March 2024, Insurance Ireland launched its Talent Roadmap ‘A Vision for the Future’. The Talent Roadmap outlines a number of actions that the sector can take to ensure that when people think about the career they want to have, they think about a career in insurance. The roadmap focuses on four key pillars: changing perception, education, talent management and innovation culture. Insurance Ireland is also establishing a Talent Steering Group to implement the talent strategy over the next three years. The Talent Steering Group will be made up of key stakeholders and members to ensure this exciting initiative reaches its full potential.
  
• A strategic priority and a core value to Insurance Ireland is aiming for a 50% gender balance on our board. It currently has 1/3 (33%) female representation on our board. Greater diversity of board composition helps produce better decision making by reducing the risk of “groupthink” and fairer outcomes for everyone in our society.
  
• Insurance Ireland chairs Insurance Europe’s DEI Platform. The platform will act as a forum for information exchange and internal position building on all DEI dimensions including DEI questions related to workplace, product design and provision, financial inclusion and equal access to insurance protection and products.
  

Italy

ANIA, the Italian association of insurance companies, and the National Commission for Equal Opportunities in the insurance sector, which was set up by the insurance social partners in 1991, work to spread a culture of equal opportunities in the sector through annual initiatives and events.

• Industry initiatives

Gender Equality Certification

• ANIA offers support to member companies applying for the "Gender Equality Certification" which is an intervention established by the Italian government with a specific law in 2021 aimed at accompanying and incentivizing companies to adopt appropriate policies to reduce the gender gap in all areas most critical to women's professional growth.
• It aims to ensure higher quality of female work, promoting transparency in business processes, reducing the gender pay gap, and increasing opportunities for growth in the company while protecting maternity.
• To promote the adoption of gender equality certification by companies, the system provides for a principle of rewarding by introducing incentivization mechanisms as well as having repercussions in terms of brand reputation.
• Certification is voluntary and upon request of the company through the adoption of specific key performance indicators (KPIs) in 6 areas that characterise an inclusive organization respectful of gender equality. The certification is valid for three years and is subject to annual monitoring

Renewal of the National Collective Agreement (CCNL) for the insurance sector, November 2022
Collective bargaining is a strong tool for raising awareness and influencing the entire sector. ANIA and the trade unions have introduced initiatives in the areas of disability, health and safety, welfare, gender and parenting:

• Time bank: each employee can give leave days above a minimum annual period of four weeks to an employee of the same company who needs to assist their first-degree relatives.
  
• Introduction of dedicated paternity leave and a recommendation to companies to promote its use.
• Expansion of the tasks of the National Commission for Equal Opportunities including:
• Analysing the entire issue of equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion with particular attention to gender equality and gender diversity
• Analysing any support actions for the employment inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Recommendation aimed at facilitating the granting of additional permits for workers who need to take care of a non-self-sufficient relative and are therefore considered “family caregivers” under national law, as well as recommendation of forms of flexible work for family caregivers and parents of children up to the age of 12 in order to guarantee a full balance between work and family life.
  
• Encouragement of the use of flexible hours for first-degree relatives of students in the first cycle of education with attention deficit disorders or special educational needs who are involved in assisting school activities.
• Correction of all the provisions of the CCNL that refer, directly or indirectly, to “spouses” to “civil unions” and “de facto cohabitation” as referred to in the “Cirinnà law” that recognises same-sex unions.
• Revision of contractual texts to use inclusive language that does not identify gender.

• Company initiatives

Many initiatives have been undertaken by companies over the years to ensure the equal rights, inclusion and well-being of employees. Examples include:

• Recruitment: 50% male/female ratio of external hires and focus on attracting female talent to science, technology, engineering and mathematics positions; at least 40% of the under 30s hired annually must be women; recruitment and career counselling initiatives and events in partnership with universities and student associations.
• Initiatives to ensure gender equity during promotion procedures; improving the presence of women in top positions in succession plans; obtaining a 50:50 promotion ratio of men and women.
  
• "Ensuring Conciliation" project to consolidate and improve the good practices currently used to support staff on maternity/paternity leave (nursery, agreements with schools close to the workplace, financial contributions for kindergarten for personnel who live far from the workplace).
  
• The job retention period in the event of a long illness in the National Collective Agreement (CCNL) has been extended by six months; beyond that, a “solidarity fund” is activated, to which all employees who have joined contribute, which guarantees financial support during the entire period without pay.
  
• Disability in the Company, Advanced Professionalism, Research and Integration (DAPARI) is a programme that aims to accompany disabled people, in particular the blind or visually impaired, from their school and university training to the world of work.
  
• Prevention and combatting of all types of discrimination and gender-based violence through a series of initiatives aimed at protecting, educating and informing employees and stakeholders through, for instance: a 24/7 helpline, and e-learning, ad hoc measures introduced in the agreement with company employees.
  
• An updated trade union agreement introducing equity and equal opportunity measures and benefits for LGBTQI+ employees and families; a first “de-biasing project”.
  
• Since 2019, a consultancy service has been available to employees which offers five support sessions to those facing difficult personal situations. A toll-free number is also available 24 hours a day for support in case of need. Managers take an online course on preventing mental illness in teams.
• Academic support projects for girls to prepare them before entering the workforce.
• Seminars in partnership with non-profit organisations to combat gender discrimination through the deconstruction of stereotypes, female empowerment, and the development of an inclusive work environment.
• Programmes aimed at physical well-being (yoga, Pilates, stretching and muscle strengthening).

Norway

• In 2021, the finance industry launched the “Women in Finance Charter”. The charter is an initiative of the industry itself to increase the proportion of women in leading positions and specialist functions.

• The financial services association, Finance Norway, has, in cooperation with the trade unions, developed an equality and diversity toolbox that provides examples of various measures that companies can use to promote and ensure gender equality.

• Finance Norway has, also in cooperation with the trade unions, developed gender equality indicators to measure the situation and developments in the financial industry.

• According to the collective bargaining agreement in the financial sector, employees are entitled to a salary increase when they return to work after a minimum of five months of parental leave. The aims of the measure are to encourage more fathers to take longer parental leave and at the same time to ensure that the salary of both women and men do not stagnate because of parental leave.

• Finance Norway has, in cooperation with its member companies, developed guidelines for diversity recruitment for companies to use in their recruitment processes.

Poland

• Various companies adopt specific solutions and practices to support DEI. Good company practices in diversity management includes, for example, having anti-discrimination procedures. They also include transparency and objectively measured employee remuneration. Flexible forms of employment, in turn, are a response to the needs of diverse employees, such as people with disabilities or those caring for children or other family members. Employers often decide to set up a helpline or appoint an independent ombudsman.

• The Diversity Charter is an international initiative supported by the European Commission. Employers that sign commit to implement effective solutions for the development of equal treatment policies and diversity management in the workplace and their dissemination among business and social partners. The Polish Charter of Diversity is coordinated by the Responsible Business Forum. Almost 250 companies, including insurers, are signatories. 2022 marked the tenth anniversary of the Charter in Poland.

• Examples of actions by individual companies include:
  
  

• A company obtained the first level of “EDGE” gender equality certification and, every quarter, assesses the gender pay gap and makes all pay decisions on that basis.

• A company’s recruitment advertisements include a short description of the company and its values that emphasises its openness to all candidates, regardless of their origin, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

• One of a group’s requirements for preparing succession plans is to include at least one woman for each position covered by the plan.

• “Better with U: Inclusion and Diversity” is a company-wide programme to support, promote and develop the idea of inclusion and respect for diversity inside and outside the company. The gender, age and abilities diversity teams formed among employees and associates diagnose all areas of the company’s operations and propose solutions aimed at creating a more inclusive work environment. As part of strengthening the activities of groups, regular meetings, workshops and webinars related to diversity and inclusive language, work ergonomics, talent workshops and mutual exchanges of experiences are organised. The company's programme and approach to the area of diversity include employees, clients, job applicants and other stakeholders.

• One group’s foundation for the professional integration of disabled persons is one of the key projects that makes up its corporate social responsibility programme. Established in 2004, its mission is to support people with disabilities on their path towards a professional career and continue to support them later during their careers. It focuses on creating conditions for cooperation between its beneficiaries and their employers, breaking down stereotypes and overcoming psychological and physical barriers. In 2021, the foundation helped 96 people with disabilities and conducted workshops for 540 people on building relationships with a person with a disability as a co-worker and client.

Spain

• The new collective agreement for the insurance sector (2020-2024) establishes, as one of its main goals, the advancement of equality and conciliation. Some of the key measures agreed include:
  
  

• The Committee for Equal Opportunities and Employment has been established to study the evolution of employment and equal opportunities in the sector and to propose active policies to promote diversity.

• A paid reduction of working hours has been established for pregnant women after the thirtieth week of pregnancy.

• Paid leave to attend childbirth preparation courses.

• Teleworking for pregnant women.

• In 2019, UNESPA adopted a set of good practices examples regarding equality between women and men that includes measures on avoiding discrimination in aspects such as selection, training, professional promotion, work-life-balance, joint responsibility and communication and awareness, retribution and the prevention of sexual harassment based on gender. UNESPA plans to regularly update these examples.

• An initiative called the EWI Network was launched in the insurance sector, which 44 (re)insurance companies and eight insurance brokers have joined, and which is also promoted by the institutions representing the insurance sector, including UNESPA, the Spanish insurance association. One of its objectives is to accelerate and increase the number of women managers in the sector to make it more sustainable, fairer and also more competitive. An ambitious goal has been set to reach a quota of women managers of close to 40% by 2023.

• To this end, good practices implemented by the members of the network are shared in areas such as work-life balance, where there are plans to promote joint responsibility by encouraging the mandatory use of paternity leave or establishing flexible working hours at the beginning and end of the working day or implementing one day a week of teleworking.
• In terms of training, there are plans to launch equality awareness campaigns for the entire workforce and, in particular, for recruitment, in order to reduce unconscious biases in the personnel selection process.
• Among other issues, it has also been recommended that individual development plans are introduced and that the development of women through support and sponsorship campaigns by the management bodies of companies is monitored.

United Kingdom

• The DEI Network of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) brings members together to discuss key issues, share best practices and drive change. Every year it publishes a survey, available to participating members, which collates information about the DEI initiatives taken by members.

• As an employer, the ABI’s inclusion strategy focuses on creating a culture that allows everyone to thrive.
• DEI Blueprint: The ABI has developed a Blueprint that sets out how, working with DEI practitioners inside and outside the insurance industry, it will work towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive sector. The Blueprint recognises the importance of “intersectionality” — the fact that each individual may experience a number of different factors that could lead to them experiencing discrimination or exclusion, which is why DEI initiatives need to be incorporated into a wider framework.
  

• An overview of the ABI’s initiatives can be found in its Diversity Hub. Key initiatives include:
  
  

• Achieving gender parity: The ABI works to achieve greater representation of women within the industry, especially at senior levels. Members are encouraged to sign the government’s Women in Finance Charter, the ABI-led Making Flexible Work Campaign and Charter and the ABI-led Transparent Parental Leave Initiative, with which the insurance industry became the first sector to publish its policies for expectant parents.
• Black, Asian and minority ethnic: The ABI and 38 of its members are among the first wave of insurance and long-term savings firms that have signed up to Business in the Community’s Race at Work Charter, as part of an industry-wide commitment to improving opportunities for black, Asian and minority ethnic colleagues. Read more about other related initiatives here.
  
• Social mobility: The ABI encourages its members to improve and increase the data that they are gathering in order to better understand the background of their employees and inform the action plans that they put in place.
  
• LGBTQ+: The ABI’s members are committed to championing LGBTQ+ inclusion and want to support employees to be their authentic selves at work. Read more here.
• Disability and neurodivergence: The DEI Blueprint includes a goal to further increase the number of ABI members that are part of the Government’s Disability Confident employer scheme. It also outlines external stakeholders to work with in raising awareness on neurodivergence.
• Future leaders: The ABI’s award-winning executive development programme, “Future Leaders”, ensures a pipeline of diverse talent for the insurance and long-term savings sector.

Switzerland

• The 2021 personnel statistics of the private insurance industry show that it is quite balanced in terms of employee gender, with 45% women and 55% men. At management level, women make up a third of the workforce and at upper-management level they account for a fifth.

• Every second year, the Swiss Insurance Association (SIA) collaborates with the University of St Gallen to publish a diversity benchmarking of the insurance sector. The 2021 report showed improvements in gender and age representation at all management levels. At the same time, it highlighted persistent challenges, especially in terms of the representation of women at management level.

• In 2022, the SIA organised a “Women insurance networking day (WIND)” to increase the attractiveness of the insurance sector to women and to provide the participants with concrete ideas for the development of their career. The event encouraged women to foster their own career plans, exchange experiences and network with their peers.

• 25% of private insurance industry employees work part-time and this has increased slightly over the last 10 years. The number of women working part-time (76%) is significantly higher than the number of men.

• Swiss insurance companies are involved in a wide range of DEI measures. These include:
• Training on unconscious bias towards gender, disability and ethnicity.

• “Lunch and Learn” events to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ people and to encourage their inclusion within the company.

• Periodical employee surveys to analyse the level of diversity and inclusion within the company.

• Promoting part-time employment, as well as job-sharing by both staff and managers.

• Multiple companies conduct regular analyses of pay to reduce unjustified pay gaps between men and women.

Slovakia

• SLASPO, the Slovak insurance association, and its member companies are active in the DEI area. Workshops they have organised for management and employees include “Equal pay analysis”, “Gender pay analysis” and “Age diversity”. Companies also run grant programmes to advance the inclusion of different groups, mainly to increase the age and gender balance in companies.

Portugal

• Preliminary data from 2023 on the composition of employees in the insurance sector shows that the gender balance was 57% women and 43% men. At management level, women make up around 39% of the workforce and at upper-management level they represent 32%.
• Article 4 of Portuguese Association of Insurers (APS) Charter of Principles (a document with guidelines for good business practices, serving as a voluntary reference) states the following under the specific heading "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion":
• Insurance companies recognise that corporate policies and practices must be guided by respect for the principles of diversity, non-discrimination, equal opportunities, inclusion and equity. They also share the conviction that diversity, reflected in cooperation between people of different ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions or beliefs, abilities, perspectives and life experiences, is a source of enrichment for organisations and their people, helping to attract and fertilise the development of talent, as well as business growth and innovation.
• Insurance companies are therefore committed to:

(i) promote a safe, inclusive working environment, free from any kind of discrimination, in which relations between everyone are guided by respect for the law and the principle of fairness;

(ii) encourage diversity;

(iii) adopt measures to facilitate the inclusion and integration in the workplace of people with vulnerabilities or diminished capacities;

(iv) adopt support measures, particularly in terms of training and updating technological knowledge, for older workers, considering that age should not be a factor of discrimination.

(v) adopt measures to prevent and combat all forms of violence, whether physical, psychological or moral, promoting training on the different tools and mechanisms available to prevent it, as well as measures to identify, assess and mitigate psychosocial risks.