Our member firm Zurich recognises and publicly expresses the immense benefit that neurodiverse talent can offer, and in working with various neurodiversity-focused entities has developed a package of initiatives to generate an inclusive workplace that will attract, support and encourage the development of neurodiverse talent, fully embracing the neurodiversity goals outlined in our DEI Blueprint.
Collaboration with GAIN
Zurich were a founding member of GAIN, the Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity. Benefitting from GAIN’s insights based on real life experiences, they have developed a holistic approach to neurodiverse inclusion, including benchmarking across recruitment, retention, leadership, culture and environment, enabling them to highlight areas to celebrate and identify where more work can be done. Because of these efforts, Zurich were the first organisation to become a GAIN ‘Industry Transformer’.
Comprehensive training offering
In collaboration with ‘Ambitious about Autism’ they have developed trainings to ensure that all staff, especially managers and HR professionals, have a good understanding of how to support neurodiverse colleagues and potential employees.
Further, day-to-day support of neurodiverse colleagues is provided through initiatives such as the introduction of Sensory Maps, showing the levels of temperature, noise, smell and foot traffic in different areas of each of its offices to help employees choose where to work dependent on their needs.
Community Support and Spotlighting
Zurich have prioritised ensuring that their neurodiverse colleagues feel comfortable being themselves at work. Through providing their autism-focused Employee Resource Group and by spotlighting and celebrating neurodiverse colleagues and the particular skillsets and talents that they offer in their A-Listers series:
The A listers – part I The A listers – part II
Luke Gawthorn a finance graduate from Bath, was diagnosed with autism aged two. He declared his autism at interview stage and has felt nothing but support since.
"When I was applying for jobs initially, I was anxious about declaring my autism because I was afraid of being judged negatively by companies. However, seeing how Zurich champions neurodiversity in the workplace made me comfortable to disclose my autism, as well as understanding the onus of speaking up about autism to try and curate a more positive outcome.
It was a much more fluid experience with Zurich from the point of interview right through to my day to day role. So much so, I came back after I graduated as I knew I could flourish here. It’s about management and communication style and giving me the courage to speak out if something isn’t working for me.”
We are so proud to see this holistic approach to neuroinclusion, including initiatives that ensure all staff have a good understanding of how to support neurodiverse colleagues. We will continue to encourage all of our members to join industry peers in networks aimed at understanding how to create opportunities for neurodiverse people
Refer to our DEI Blueprint for more information on our goals for neurodiversity inclusion in the insurance and long-term savings sector.