Record participation in the 10th annual Dive In Festival to promote D&I

The Dive In Festival, recognized as the world’s largest diversity and inclusion (iD&I) event, which also marked its 10th anniversary from 24 to 26 September, broke previous attendance records with over 45,000 registrations from 81 countries.

Under the theme “Sustainable Future: The Next 10 Years,” the combined festival included 133 events covering 46 countries and six continents. More than 450 speakers addressed key issues such as the multigenerational workforce, emotional diversity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, disability, leadership, racial inclusion, and gender equality.

For the second year in a row, the festival’s events received accreditation from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) for continuing professional development (CPD). Attendees were able to quantify their role in fulfilling their professional development needs.

This accreditation benefits members of several international insurance associations, including Australia and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF), Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Indonesia Insurance Institute (AAMAI), Insurance Institute of Kenya (IIK) , The Institutes (US), and the Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute (TTII).

Most of the festival sessions remain available for streaming on the Dive In Festival Events Platform until the end of October, after which they will be available on the Dive In YouTube channel. Participants can continue to claim CPD hours by attending these sessions throughout the year, in keeping with the festival’s aim of promoting continuing D&I education.

This year’s headline speakers include Olympic athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who shares insights on the role of trust in leadership, and rugby union player Topsy Ojo, who focuses on gender equality. Their contributions are accompanied by discussions of international workers, highlighted in regions including India, Taiwan, Italy, Switzerland, and Brazil.

Neurodiversity was focused on Australia, the UK, and Poland, while disability inclusion was explored in the UK, Australia, and Italy. Gender equality was a key topic in New Zealand, Greece, Luxembourg, Singapore, and the USA.

The festival also featured a variety of formats, including a live debate in the UK on the challenges of D&I under remote pressure and an open discussion in Australia where participants were encouraged to ask tough questions of people from different backgrounds.

The impact of leadership in developing D&I was another area of ​​focus, with sessions such as the one in Chicago led by Xavier Ramey, which emphasized the need for egalitarian leadership.

Yulia Hayward, executive director of the Dive In program, highlighted the festival’s growth, noting the increase in participation and international outreach.

“From 18 events in London, we have grown to 133 events in 46 countries on six continents and have been joined by outstanding speakers who have enlightened us on the importance of improving workplace culture. This year, our goal was to show progress over the past ten years, while identifying some areas where there is still room for improvement,” said Hayward.

He stressed that the purpose of the festival this year was to highlight the progress that has been made in the past ten years while identifying areas that still need to be done.

Dan Burrows (pictured above), group CEO of Fidelis Insurance Group, commented on his company’s role as the new Global Festival Partner for 2024, marking Bermuda’s long-standing involvement with Dive In.

“Dive In does a fantastic job of championing D&I programs in the industry throughout the year, and we’re excited to be a part of this year’s festival. We look forward to continuing our support of Dive In and being part of the significant impact it has in highlighting the importance of creating an equal environment where all people, regardless of background, can succeed and contribute to the growth and innovation of the industry,” Burrows said.

Dive In 2024 was supported by 32 Global Festival Partners, including major industry players such as AIG, AXA, Aviva, Chubb, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Lloyd’s, Marsh McLennan, Munich RE, and Swiss Re.

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