Dive In Festival 2021

21-23 September 2021 An initiative of Inclusion@Lloyd’s, Dive In is the multi-award winning festival for diversity and inclusion in insurance.

Although the festival is over for another year, the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the insurance sector remains front and centre. Dive In has again continued to help insurance get fit for the future, highlighting the business case for diverse and inclusive workplaces and providing practical ideas and inspiration for how to bring about positive change. With over 31,000 people attending 145 events, online and in-person, run out of 35 countries around the world, the 2021 festival has once again been a huge success, and the energy of the festival will again be harnessed to continue encouraging positive action across the sector.

As ever, Kennedys is immensely proud to have been able to support and participate in such an important, and successful, initiative. See you at Dive In 2022!

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Dive In is a global movement in the insurance sector to support the development of inclusive workplace cultures.

Dive In 2021

In its seventh year, the Dive In Festival continued on its mission to enable people to achieve their potential by raising awareness of the business case and promoting positive action for diversity in all its forms.

This year’s focus was on active allyship, and the message from event speakers and participants was clear and impactful: It’s time for those in positions of privilege to listen, educate themselves, and understand the experience of people from underrepresented groups, so we can bring about real change through action. Intention is not enough to move the dial.

The festival ran 21-23 September 2021 and, as a 'hybrid' festival, had events taking place online and in-person, in 36 countries around the world, many in which Kennedys has a presence.

In 2020 circumstances dictated that the festival took on a largely virtual format, with the vast majority of events around the world being held online. But, despite this, it was an emphatic success. So, in recognition of the success of the 2020 festival, and in the new ways of working that are now becoming the norm for many companies, the 2021 festival took on a hybrid approach, with a mix of events being held in-person and online.

Kennedys is very proud to have once again been a global partner of the festival, and involved in the organisation of it. Kennedys’ presence and participation was stronger than ever and right across our global network, seeing the firm associated with 32 events in various capacities, with Kennedys people organising, hosting, chairing and speaking at events, around the world.

2021 campaign, theme, key messages and objectives

The 2021 festival introduced the theme of Active Allyship and Empowerment.

From intention to action

After six successful years of raising awareness of the business case for diversity and inclusion, and moving from action into measuring and reporting impact, in 2021 the festival had an anchoring global narrative and rallying message ‘Active Allyship and Empowerment - from intention to action’.

Now, more than ever, there is an essential need to create and empower diversity and inclusion (D&I) allies who can act rather than just talk.

An ally is someone who is not a member of an underrepresented group but who takes action to support that group and takes responsibility for making changes that will help others be successful.

D&I has become a central, driving force within organisations around the world. But for it to truly be successful; leaders and all people in positions of privilege need to be educated, equipped and empowered to understand how to be active allies and champions for all.

Objectives for Dive In 2021 were

Dive In across the globe

To continue to engage and educate people at all levels on the business case for Diversity & Inclusion.
To provide people with understanding, knowledge and tools to implement positive change.
To create impact for diversity & inclusion within the insurance industry.

In new countries

To concentrate on raising awareness for diversity and inclusion.
To consider ways to build momentum for the D&I agenda.

In existing Dive In countries

To increase focus on attracting new audiences beyond the ‘converts’ and sharing the tools that will encourage attendees to move from awareness into action and create measurable impact.

More about Dive In

Dive In recognises that the global risk industry is facing complex challenges such as climate change and cyber crime. In order to attract the very best talent to keep pace with the rate of change, insurance needs to focus on its reputation as a great sector to work in. This means looking beyond traditional definitions of diversity to level the playing field for talent comprehensively including gender, gender identity, age, cultural background, sexual orientation, social mobility, faith, caring responsibilities, mental health and physical impairments.

An initiative of Inclusion@Lloyd’s, a cross market collaboration of C-suite executives and industry associations driving the strategic push for greater diversity in the Lloyd’s market, Dive In is the sector’s only international D&I festival that runs concurrently in multiple organisations across all continents, representing every corner of the industry, from the smallest brokers to the largest multi-national companies. The festival raises awareness and builds momentum, and aims to engage and educate people within the Lloyd’s market on the importance of diversity and inclusion in insurance by providing people with understanding, knowledge and the tools to implement positive change. It helps promote a different view of insurance to a variety of stakeholders and to prospective employees both within and outside the industry.

The Dive In festival has grown from a Lloyd’s market event in London at launch in 2015 to become an award winning global movement that is embraced by the wider insurance industry. If Dive In has a vision, it is that insurance is recognised as a progressive industry where workplace cultures create a level playing field for talent, attracting the very best people regardless of gender, gender identity, age, cultural background, sexual orientation, social mobility, faith, caring responsibilities, mental health and physical impairments. Its mission is to enable people to achieve their potential by raising awareness of the business case and promoting positive action for diversity in all its forms.

Find out more

Video learning library of diversity and inclusion content from the previous festivals.

Diversity at Kennedys

We have a distinctive culture at Kennedys that makes us a successful firm where people enjoy coming to work. Our culture is a source of strength and differentiates us from our competitors. We are very conscious that as a diverse and global firm we need to ensure that everyone, whoever or wherever they are in the firm, shares and embraces our values. Underpinning our values is our involvement in events that celebrate diversity and inclusion within the sectors in which we operate.