Pride in Progress: The Insurance Industry’s Journey Toward Inclusion

How far have we come?

Over the past decade, the sector has made significant strides. When I co-founded LINK, the LGBT Insurance Network, in 2012, open conversations about LGBT inclusion were rare. Today, LINK includes thousands of members from hundreds of firms, with chapters in the UK, US and Canada illustrating how far we’ve come. Alongside initiatives like Inclusion@Lloyd’s, Insurance Inclusion Networks, and the global Dive In Festival, these platforms provide industry-wide spaces for connection, education and advocacy that continue to grow in influence.

For many LGBTQ+ employees, community is essential – not only for safety but for belonging and resilience. Networks like LINK provide vital spaces to share experiences and amplify voices. I truly believe these communities have played, and continue to play, a key role in keeping hold of top talent in our industry and showing prospective talent that they’re welcome here.

Pride, but year-round

While the industry has made a lot of progress in instilling a sense of belonging for the LGBTQ+ community, it’s also key that on an organisational level, this is built through an authentic approach to inclusivity – not just during Pride month and other significant cultural celebrations, but year-round. It’s not so much about cupcakes and logos, but about knowing your people, listening and embedding an inclusive approach into your culture.

Models like Markel’s Inclusion Network understand the intersectionality of its people, and inclusivity is deeply embedded into both policy and practice. It’s clear that, at Markel, inclusivity is not something that is siloed exclusively with HR – it’s an opportunity and a responsibility for everyone across the business, as part of our ‘Markel Style’.

Bringing more people into inclusivity

On an industry level, despite the progress I’ve seen over the years, it’s challenging to reach everyone. Some people feel a genuine connection to inclusion efforts and recognise their impact on business and culture. Others, however, struggle to see how inclusion initiatives relate to their daily work or question whether these efforts distract from core business goals.

There are individuals who remain unengaged, perhaps unaware of how embedding a sense of belonging through inclusion benefits them personally, because like everyone – they are managing the day-to-day challenges of their own lives, or are unsure why it matters to them.

This highlights the importance of clear, ongoing communication that connects inclusion to everyone’s experience. Because ultimately, building an industry where everyone can thrive and develop will help drive performance across the market.

The role of allyship this Pride month and beyond

But how can we avoid alienating those on the periphery? Allyship plays a critical role here. It’s more than a gesture or a slogan – it’s active support demonstrated through listening, standing up against bias and consistently embracing respect in everyday interactions. Importantly, allyship is not an extra burden, but a natural part of how we work together.

Communicating inclusion in this way makes it accessible and relevant to all, it comes down to respect, thoughtfulness and individual behaviours. Markel’s Inclusive Behaviours Framework and workshops are a clear example of how you can equip your colleagues with the tools and language to model the behaviour you want to see.

For individuals seeking to be better allies, the path begins with curiosity, humility and a willingness to act. Listening to colleagues’ experiences, challenging exclusion when it arises and accepting that challenging conversations, disagreement and persuasion are essential steps.

The insurance industry has made meaningful progress fostering LGBTQ+ inclusion. But the journey continues, and we must engage with the diverse experiences and perspectives within our sector honestly and openly.

Pride is a time to celebrate the gains we have made – and to renew our commitment to inclusion every day of the year. This work makes our industry stronger, more innovative and better equipped to serve the diverse, global community at the heart of everything we do.

There is much to be proud of – and even more to achieve.