IICF Gathers 1,000 Attendees to Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Inclusion in Insurance Regional Forums

Forums expected to raise more than $900,000 to help regional nonprofits across the US

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LOS ANGELES – June 24, 2022 – The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities and enriching lives, gathered 1,000 insurance professionals from across the US for the IICF Inclusion in Insurance Regional Forums this month, a series of events dedicated to advancing ideas into action around diversity, inclusion and innovation while benefitting charitable causes. Insurance industry professionals, DEI leaders, academics, and C-suite executives gathered in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas to share actionable insight on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, philanthropy and the future of work. Fresh approaches to DEI were discussed, including the culture of wellness as a corporate advantage, recruiting, retention and advancement of diverse candidates, potential value of select bias, psychological safety in the workplace, value of data relative to DEI, and impactful allyship that results in meaningful change. In total the IICF Inclusion Forums expect to raise more than $900,0000 in support of regional nonprofits serving those in need.

Top executives across the industry and DEI thought leaders from around the globe led inspiring conversations centered on a range of topics designed to challenge the status quo and provide practical takeaways to build a more inclusive future with equality of opportunity. Speakers including Cheryl Rosario, head of DEI & CSR, Munich Re, Ronald Reeves, chief diversity officer, AIG, Barbara Bufkin, Senior Advisor at Amwins Group, Shandrilya Lewis, Director of Strategy & Planning, USAA, and Margaret Spence, CEO of the Inclusion Learning Lab shared compelling insights and actionable advice for attendees looking to create change in their organizations and insurance industry as a whole.

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Some key takeaways from the events included:

• Reflexive vs Reflective Giving: As highlighted by Nelba Marquez Greene, founder of the Ana Grace Project, too often organizations simply engage in reflexive giving, or giving in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy. Philanthropy needs to be comprehensive and intentional.
• The Truth Behind Bias: Eric Bailey, author of The Cure for Stupidity and president of Bailey Strategic Innovation Group, shared that all bias isn’t necessarily inherently bad. It can sometimes help us quickly understand the world and our surroundings, yet the need to understand the nature of unconscious bias and recognize ways it manifests in the workplace is critical.
• Leadership Looks Like Me: Deepa Purushothaman, author & cofounder of nFormation offered valuable first-hand insight into “being a first”, as a senior leader advancing in the consulting world, and shared strategies for women and POC who may not see widespread representation in their workplace. This includes challenging the idea of scarcity to ensure there are no limits to available seats at the table for leaders of diverse backgrounds.
• Winning Conditions for Promoting an Inclusive Culture: Inclusive cultures require continuous promotion, a key point reinforced by Christine Hofbeck, actuary, best-selling author and CBS Survivor contestant. Simply creating an inclusive culture is not always enough, and Hofbeck encourages businesses to keep pushing for even small improvements, which “can result in substantial improvements to outcome.”

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For more comprehensive insights from IICF’s Inclusion in Insurance Regional Forums, stay tuned for the event’s summary white paper which will be released later this summer

“After the virtual programming of the past few years, it was clearly evident how excited the insurance industry was to reconvene in-person at each of the four Forums, to learn and explore vitally important DEI topics together, reconnecting with colleagues and networking to make new connections,” said Elizabeth Myatt, VP, Chief Program Officer of IICF. “As the only industry leadership events dedicated to advancing ideas into action on DEI while giving back to those in need, the IICF Forums offer our industry an important opportunity to address major challenges and opportunities, those both unique to the insurance industry and issues faced by business and society at large. The talent gap and the state of wellness and mental health are just two of the critical topics on our agenda at each forum. Thank you to our phenomenal speakers, panelists, sponsors and attendees for making this year’s Regional Forums a resounding success as together we work to build a fully inclusive future for the insurance industry.”

IICF’s Inclusion in Insurance leadership events were established as the Women in Insurance Conference Series and are the only such events to benefit nonprofit and charitable organizations throughout the US and in the UK through IICF's Community Grants Program. Since inception in 2013, more than 9,000 insurance professionals have attended IICF’s Inclusion in Insurance and Women in Insurance events. In September IICF’s UK Division will host the 2022 Forum on Social Purpose and Inclusion in London, and next year, IICF will host the 2023 IICF Inclusion in Insurance Global Conference. Registration and additional details will be available later this year at www.inclusion.iicf.org.  

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Grants awarded through the IICF’s Community Grants Program provide direct support in addressing food insecurity, homelessness, educational disparities, disaster relief and preparedness, and helping children at risk, veterans and more. IICF has contributed more than $42 million to communities throughout the US and UK and provided more than 2.6 million meals to vulnerable children since the start of the pandemic.

Special thanks to the Four-Conference Diamond Presenting Sponsors Amwins, CNA, EY, Markel and USAA, and all generous event sponsors making DEI initiatives and the goal of a fully inclusive future for the insurance industry a priority.

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