The Lloyd’s Dive In Festival is increasing its focus on driving action on diversity and inclusion as the event builds on momentum from previous years on raising awareness and highlighting the challenges facing the industry.

“This year the events translated awareness of the business case for diversity and inclusion into action, and started to measure and report impacts in terms of business outcomes,” Lloyd’s General Representative in Australia Chris Mackinnon said.

More than 1500 people attended 16 events in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Auckland, with sessions providing insights and tools for participants to take back to their organisations.

Research on inclusion released during the event highlighted the gender disparity in senior positions, based on more than 600 respondents working across the industry.

Women comprised 63% of support function roles and only 35% of executive or board roles, while 42% of survey respondents did not agree that their workplace is inclusive overall.

Respondents who reported being able to perform some of their work from home reported high levels of inclusion, regardless of whether their role was part or full-time.

Those aged from 46 to over 65 felt significantly more included than those aged 18 to 45.

The Deep Dive on Inclusion: Inclusive Culture Survey report was conducted by Jennifer Whelan of Psynapse Psychometrics and sponsored by Wotton + Kearney and Sura in partnership with the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance.

Women made up 54% of the respondents and more than 66% were of Anglo-Australian or New Zealand cultural background.

The report says that beyond gender, there is very little comprehensive data available across the corporate landscape on cultural and linguistic diversity, disability, gender identity and sexuality, indigenous representation, mental health and neurodiversity.