Zurich becomes 1st UK insurer to take up GAIN neurodiversity 'Industry Transformer' membership

GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment & Neurodiversity) is delighted to announce Zurich Insurance has become its first ‘Industry Transformer’ member. Over the next three years, Zurich is committed to working with GAIN in its mission to spark a significant improvement in the employment prospects of neurodivergent people in insurance, investment and related areas of financial services.

One in five individuals in the UK identify as neurodivergent and live with conditions such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD or dyspraxia. This can lead to lack of prospects with many unable to reach their full potential due to difficulty accessing long-term meaningful career opportunities. As the industry faces a war for talent, never has there been a better time to unlock this untapped talent pool.

Working alongside GAIN and other businesses in the sector, Zurich will play a lead role in creating a sector-wide transformation of the employment prospects of neurodivergent individuals by championing and creating opportunities for these individuals.

They will also seek to bring neurodiversity into the same focus as other, equally important but currently more recognised, forms of diversity and inclusion. Raising the profile of neurodiversity is an important element in achieving ESG, CSR and broader diversity objectives.

Barbara Schonhofer, Co-chair of GAIN said: “There has never been a better time to be more informed about neurodiversity and the huge value to business of recognising and welcoming different ways of thinking and operating.  By embracing difference, we better reflect customers and the broader society we serve.  We applaud Zurich for becoming our first industry transformer and look forward to welcoming others as they join us to make a radical improvement in the employment prospects of neurodivergent people”.

Tim Bailey, CEO Zurich, added: “We’re proud to be a founder member of GAIN. We know that our neurodivergent colleagues within Zurich bring a strong and differentiated skillset. We also know there is more that Zurich and the wider industry can do to make the world of work more accessible to all. Working with GAIN enables us to bring together insights from real life experiences alongside a wide range of resources we look forward to drawing on.”