A year after launching its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Blueprint, the Association of British Insurers believes the industry has made progress on improving board diversity and setting targets and insights on neurodiversity, but risks falling behind on apprenticeships.

In 2022, the ABI pledged to double the number of apprenticeships across the sector to 2,500 by 2025. But its latest data shows the number of apprenticeships offered by ABI members stood at just 1,231 in 2022.

The ABI said almost half (47%) of insurance and long-term savings firms now collect data on neurodiversity within their organisation, up from 40% in 2021. Almost a quarter (24%) of its members now have a specific policy in place to support neurodiverse employees in the workplace, up from 14% in 2021.

It said the number of women on boards had increased from 19% in 2017 to 32% in 2022. There has also been an increase in black and ethnic minority representation at board level within firms, up from 2% in 2021 to 6% in 2022.

Hannah Gurga (pictured), director general of the ABI, said: “It’s encouraging to see the progress our industry has made this year. Attracting more neurodiverse people to our industry, growing the number of members signed up to DEI charters, and advancing how we and our members collect data is something we should all be proud of.

“But we know we need to do more if we’re to succeed in building a workforce that truly reflects the diverse society we serve. 2024 must be a year of action where we accelerate progress and broaden perspectives. Some businesses are further ahead than others and to make a real difference we must move forward together.”

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