Accelerate Action for Gender Equality in the Midlands Insurance Sector
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 7 March 2025
UPDATED: 7 March 2025
A leading female director in the Insurance industry from Russell Scanlan based in the East Midlands, has shared how organisations can encourage more women into senior roles in the sector, and support for greater awareness and remaining gender equality in a male-dominated field this International Women’s Day (March 8).
Joanne Marriott, who sits on the board of Directors at Russell Scanlan, part of the global fintech company Acrisure, believes that to attract women into and retain them in senior roles, companies can introduce realistic and manageable policies and initiatives which can make a profound difference to individuals in the business and their progression.
Joanne said:
“Encouraging and developing women through pay equality, creating inclusive work cultures, offering flexible work arrangements, combating unconscious bias, offering mentorship from both women and their male allies, and removing any gender leadership barriers are just some of the things we can do to attract the future female leaders of Insurance.
“Every company, no matter how big or small it is, should effortlessly ensure it has clear, realistic, gender diversity goals. Progression should be merit and achievement based across the board, and this should be evident for all employees to see.”
The theme this International Women’s Day (IWD) is ‘Accelerate Action’ – focusing on the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. In 2025, IWD is calling for an increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face in the workplace.
The Insurance industry continues to make steps in the right direction. According to data released by the Association of British Insurers at the end of 2024, the proportion of women at senior manager and director level in Insurance roles was 32 per cent in 2023 – a three per cent increase from 2022.
But there is still work to be done. Pay equality remains a prevalent issue across the sector, with men on average earning more than one-third more than women in 2024. It is time that organisations prioritise taking swift and decisive steps to address the systematic barriers and biases that women face.
Acrisure has acquired 16 businesses in the UK, which feature a number of women in both management and directorship roles who are championing and leading the way for females working in the sector. The global fintech company has made gender equality a priority in its operations, actively collaborating with our industry organisations to promote DEI within the insurance and financial sector.
Joanne added:
“During my 30 years in the industry, I have been incredibly lucky to have worked under and with some very talented and influential women. Their support and guidance have been invaluable to my own career, and they have inspired me to strive for success in a male dominated industry, culminating in me becoming a Director.
“But my career hasn’t been without its challenges along the way. An integral part of both Russell Scanlan and Acrisure’s business ethos is to foster an inclusive workplace where people from different backgrounds, cultures and genders are empowered to thrive. They have created a working environment where women are encouraged to shine and excel, and this has been such a refreshing and positive experience for me over the last four years.
“By continuing to work together, we can ensure that future women in insurance won't have to face the same barriers that have historically existed.”
