"Being an advocate is a constantaction," says Barbara Turner, president and chief operating officerat Ohio National Financial Services. (Credit:Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock)

With all the news that comes out of the insurance industry, itcan be hard to keep up with everything. From important hires to the latestupdate regarding the coronavirus, it's easy to feeloverwhelmed and possibly even become numb to the deluge ofindustry-related news that matters.

One subject that garners quite a bit of attention and shouldn'tbe ignored, however, is women and diversity in insurance —especially as March is Women's History Month.

On Feb. 27-28, the American Property Casualty InsuranceAsociation (APCIA), in partnership with the American Council ofLife Insurers and the Life Insurance Council of New York, co-hostedthe inaugural Women & Diversity: Expanding Opportunities inInsurance event in New York City.

A packed ballroom filled with men and women spent the daylistening to panelists discussing a range of subjects, from how thefinancial landscape is changing and why diversity is critical tounderstanding the value of inclusive company cultures.

While the subject of diversity and inclusion is now a top ofmind concern that organizations are actively looking to remedy,this wasn't always the case. Barbara Turner, president and chiefoperating officer at Ohio National Financial Services, told theaudience how 15 years ago she went to an event chairman at hercompany about doing more about diversity and inclusion, only to betold that the issues would resolve themselves "naturally." She wenton to explain that she approached the issue again a few yearslater, only this time she made the case from a businessstandpoint.

As for what the industry can do, both Turner and fellow panelistLisa Corless, president and CEO at AF Group, highlighted a greateremphasis on intention. Turner said organizations need to examinetheir culture and whether women feel welcome, while Corless citedAPCIA's inaugural event as an example of how to create anenvironment where conversations like these can take place.

"Being an advocate is a constant action," says Turner.

Rethinking recruiting and apprenticeships

The recruitment process and apprenticeships were also discussedas solutions to the issue of diversity and inclusion. The industryis well-aware that it cannot fulfill all the jobs that will be lostto automation and retirement by just shifting people around, whichis there needs to be a dramatic shift in recruiting, says NoelleCodispoti, CEO at Gamma Iota Sigma.

Traditional recruiting techniques will not work, especially asthe market for diverse candidates is a priority across allindustries. One way organizations in the insurance industry canstart is by hiring who may lack "traditional" experience related toinsurance if they are compatible with its goals in terms of cultureor long-term goals.

Sevé Spruill Sr., director of talent outreach at Chubb, talkedabout how he previously recruited mechanical engineers prior tojoining the industry. He stressed that there are plenty ofpeople with skills that can help companies in insurance, it's justa matter of finding the right fit and how it can be an asset in aninsurance-related capacity.

"If you're good at what you do, you're good at what you do,"said Spruill.

Apprenticeships offer another proactive way companies canresolve diversity and inclusion issues. According to John Ladd,administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship at the U.S.Department of Labor, there are 7.6 million jobs unfulfilled in theU.S.

The insurance industry has been on the front lines when it comes to apprenticeship initiatives. Toadd to this momentum, APCIA launched a new program focused onestablishing insurance apprenticeships programs across the country.Insurance Apprenticeship USA is a joint project by APCIAin collaboration with Zurich North America, the U.S.Department of Labor, The Hartford, and Aon to bringtogether industry professionals across the industry in an effort toexpand apprenticeship opportunities in the sector.

There is still plenty of work to be done when it comesto diversity and inclusion — and it's not an issue with anend date. Being committed to both means a continuous effort to makethem integral parts of anything an organization does in the futureand recognizing that it must always be a priority in the insuranceindustry. Until that day comes, the efforts by APCIA and others inthe world of insurance is a sign that the industry is still on theright track.

Related:

• APCIA teams up with P&C groups, Dept.of Labor to launch Insurance Apprenticeship USA
• Closing the gender gap ininsurance
• Building diversity and inclusion: A modernguide