NU PropertyCasualty360 Luminaries 2022: DE&I Honorees

Monolithic thinking, representation and programming fail to foster true business success. (Part 3 of 3)

We called for nominations for the NU PropertyCasualty360 Luminaries recognition program earlier this year. Nominations were submitted in five categories. Today’s story highlights those who were honored for DE&I innovation. (Illustration by Rocco Baviera)

This year’s NU PropertyCasualty360 Luminaries professional recognition program supports the idea that monolithic thinking, representation and programming fail to foster true business success. Honorees in this category are creative and accomplished in both words and deeds when it comes to putting equity into action in their corner of the insurance world.

Elizabeth Robertson

Individual

Elizabeth Robertson, Crawford & Co.

Since joining Crawford & Company in 2008, Elizabeth Rob­ertson went beyond her responsibilities as a member of the legal team by supporting the company’s DE&I initiatives. Robertson helped engage with employees of color by volunteering to launch a company employee resource group called “RISE” (Racial Inclusion and Social Equity). Her DE&I engagement reached new levels of commitment in 2020, when Robertson joined the HR/Training team in launching the company’s new Unconscious Bias training program. Not only does Robertson lead training sessions for hundreds of Crawford managers worldwide, she also helped develop training materials that present realistic scenarios based on her own experiences. These scenarios are consistently praised by trainees as helping them understand how bias manifests in the workplace. Robertson remains engaged in DE&I, organizing Black History Month events in February 2022 that employees found enlightening and inspiring. https://www.crawco.com/

Gallagher Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consulting

Product

After using Gallagher Connect to develop a partnership with more than 65 diverse-certified partners, Gallagher sought to help other companies diversify their operations in ways that benefited all parties involved. Gallagher DEI Consulting Group launched in 2021. This first-of-its-kind consortium of DEI consultants offers a single point of contact for clients attempting to navigate risk by creating a more di­verse and inclusive culture. The Gallagher DEI Consulting Group hopes to show firms the true profitability potential and loss prevention benefits of DEI. The Gallagher DEI Con­sulting Group starts with a comprehensive diversity assess­ment through numerous metrics including turnover analy­sis, pay equity, workload balance and career path potential. Then the program develops custom DEI strategies, consulting strategies and support for all employees from the top leadership to the newest hires. This doesn’t just help a company hit one-time diversity goals but also to achieve a culture that promotes diversity over the long term. https://www.ajg.com/us/services/diversity-equity-inclusion-consulting/

Spencer Quinn

Individual

Spencer Quinn, Crawford & Co.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Quinn has always taken a special interest in how community members navigate their careers, find safe spaces to work, and feel supported by their colleagues. In 2020, Quinn took the lead in establishing the PRIDE employee resource group for LGBTQ+ employees. Under his leadership, PRIDE has grown to more than 60 members, including allies as well as community members. Quinn communicates regularly with employees to raise awareness of the importance of creat­ing a safe workplace for LGBTQ+ employees, standing up against bullying, and supporting the families of community members. On April 8, 2022, Quinn hosted a panel discussion in honor of the Day of Silence. One goal he works toward is earning a place for Crawford on the HRC’s Corporate Equal­ity Index, the national benchmarking tool on corporate culture’s friendliness to the LGBTQ+ community. https://www.crawco.com/

Carmen Duarte

Individual

Carmen Duarte, Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions and the Insur­ance Industry Charitable Founda­tion

Carmen Duarte serves as vice presi­dent of Diversity, Inclusion & Social Impact at Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions. But her impact extends beyond the company. Duarte also serves as the chair of the Insur­ance Industry Charitable Founda­tion’s (IICF) IDEA Council Talent Subcommittee. The Talent Subcommittee spearheads innovative recruitment and retention techniques, which Duarte has steered toward greater inclusiveness through the IICF Talent Hub and Mentoring Alliance. The Talent Hub offers candidates of non-traditional backgrounds access to education, resources and professional opportunities in the industry. Meanwhile, the Mentoring Alliance matches executives from histori­cally under-represented groups with mid-level employees of similar backgrounds. Although the program only launched in 2022, research shows that professionals who receive mentoring are 2.5 times more likely to be promoted, which could reduce underrepresentation in executive leadership. https://www.intactspecialty.com/#

Freelance writer Matthew Candelaria contributed to this report.

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