Kennedys’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion reaffirmed with continued Dive In Festival sponsorship

For the seventh consecutive year we are a proud global partner of Dive In, the world’s largest festival for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). An initiative of Inclusion@Lloyd’s, a collaboration between the Corporation of Lloyd’s, IUA, LIIBA, and the Lloyd’s Market Association, the festival plays a crucial role in highlighting business resilience in the insurance sector.

This year, Dive In Festival celebrates its milestone 10-year anniversary following remarkable growth since its inception in 2015. With events expected to be hosted in a record-breaking number of 50 countries there will be activities designed to inspire the entire industry with high-profile speakers soon to be announced. Registration for events will open on Thursday 15 August 2024.

The festival will be held from 24 to 26 September 2024 and will embrace the theme, ‘A Sustainable Future: The Next 10 Years’ focusing on the critical role of inclusive cultures for long-term success. Set to broaden its global footprint more extensively than ever before, Dive In will be hosted in Greece, Belgium, Malaysia, Namibia, and the Philippines for the first time and will once again adopt a hybrid format, offering both streamed and in-person events.

To commence the festival activity and celebrate the unsung heroes of the industry, Dive In invites nominations for its #NominateMyManager campaign, asking industry professionals to put forward managers who have made outstanding contributions to fostering inclusive cultures within their teams and organisations. Nominations are open until Friday 28 June 2024 with further details available on the Dive In website.

Jason Groves, Chair of the Dive In Festival and International Director of External Affairs and Media Relations at Marsh McLennan, says: “As Dive In celebrates its 10 year anniversary, it's not only a moment to reflect on the industry's strides in diversity and inclusion but an opportunity to look ahead at the next decade and how we progress. This year’s theme is a clarion call to ask individuals at all levels of seniority to commit to creating inclusive workplace cultures. Unlocking every individual's potential to innovate will enable us to tackle the global challenges the industry is facing and create more resilient businesses.”

For the second consecutive year, Dive In will reintroduce “Dive In to Reverse Mentoring,” the first cross-industry mentoring initiative enabling individuals worldwide, at all levels, to exchange knowledge and challenge perceptions encouraging junior industry employees to mentor senior members and bridge generational and cultural divides.

Discussing the initiative, Yelhis Hernández, Mexico Country Manager and Central America Market Development Manager at Lloyd’s who took part as mentor and mentee comments, “Through our Dive In to Reverse Mentoring initiative, we've cultivated a culture of collaboration and mutual learning among senior leadership and junior team members across the globe. Engaging 185 individuals from the business sector across 18 countries, this initiative has garnered a satisfaction rate of over 90% among participants and a high likelihood of recommendation to colleagues. We're delighted to reintroduce the scheme, with the goal of expanding its international reach.” 

Kennedys partner, and Executive Group member, John Bruce, says: “In this milestone year for the festival, Kennedys remains immensely proud to continue its support as a Global Festival Partner. Over the last ten years, the insurance industry has made great progress in embracing DE&I to advance the critical role that inclusive cultures will play in long-term business success in the next decade and beyond. I am looking forward to what will be yet another hugely successful and influential festival.”

Dive In’s dates announcement press release: https://www.diveinfestival.com/press-releases/dive-in-festival-looks-ahead-to-the-next-10-years-in-milestone-year

For further festival information and updates, see our Dive In website hub.