The annual global diversity and inclusion Dive In event starts today as key findings from a survey reveal the insurance industry has much to do in areas like mental health and gender equality.

While 72% of more than 7000 respondents surveyed globally say the industry is more diverse and inclusive than when they first joined, 68% list mental health as needing more focus and 42% had similar views on gender equality.

About 33% list racial equality as a concern and other to-do areas include mentorship, inclusion and artificial intelligence, and non-visible disabilities.

Broking giant WTW, one of the event’s backers, says the survey findings, especially on mental health, should not be ignored.

“Mental health was found to be the top priority for respondents in the insurance sector for the third year in a row,” WTW Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity Jenifer Denby said.

She says the mental health findings are “unsurprising” since recent UK statistics found that work-related stress accounts for half of all lost working days and costs employers up to £56 billion ($106 billion) annually.

“This makes it clear that addressing…issues like mental health is not just a ‘nice to have’, it’s a commercial imperative,” Ms Denby said.

“Not only can it help the industry address its own risks, but it can create a competitive advantage as a source of innovation.

“Dive In provides a wealth of resources and practical insights to help individuals and organisations not only de-risk, but also spark innovation.”

Former Lloyd’s CEO Inga Beale, who came out as bisexual in 2008, was the driving force behind the launch of the initiative in 2015. She copped a barrage of sexist and homophobic abuse when she became the first woman to take the top Lloyd’s role in 2014.

The Dive In festival started in 2015 in London and has since expanded to other locations including Australia and New Zealand.

Participants in Australia and New Zealand kicked off the three-day event with a number of seminars built around the festival’s theme, Unlocking Innovation: The Power of Inclusion.

Today’s events include the following:

- Creating an inclusive space to allow innovation to thrive;

- D&I and the Talent Shortage; and

- Moving the inclusion dial: innovation in motion

For tomorrow the events include:

- AI for All: The Quest for Diversity and Inclusion in AI;

- Driving gender equity and breaking barriers for women in the workplace; and

- The Power of Kindness drives Inclusion & Innovation .

On Thursday the events include:

- Zurich & Sparke Helmore present: Women and Girls in STEM: Where to from here?;

- Artificial intelligence and discrimination in insurance pricing and underwriting; and

- A winning mindset: how athletes can drive innovation and high performance

Click here for more event details.