Black Lives Matter – Creating better working environments

Racism and social injustice affects everyone. In light of the recent activity over the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in the US, we would like to demonstrate our support to our BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic) members by sharing a set of resources we think may be helpful.

Whether you are looking for a network to join, or would like to learn more about how to be a better ally, here is a brief list we have compiled to help provide more information:

• Afro-Caribbean Insurance Association (ACIA) – Professional network for Afro-Caribbeans in the insurance sector by way of increasing cultural competence in the London market and making the insurance sector a more attractive destination for young black professionals

• Black History Month – Official website focusing and leading the nationwide celebrations of black history, arts and culture throughout the UK in October

• Black Professionals Network (BPN) – Social network for black and minority ethnic professionals to connect with each other

• Black Young Professional Network (BYP) – Professional network connecting black professionals to each other, job opportunities, black business, events and freelancers

• Insurance Cultural Awareness Network (iCAN) – Industry-wide independent network that supports multicultural inclusion across the insurance sector

• National Black Women’s Network (NBWN) – Non-profit network organisation dedicated to raising the status and position of women of colour, in all walks of life

• Racism at Work – A series of free webinars shining a light on different aspects of racism at work

• UK Black Pride – Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent

• 10 Documentaries To Watch About Race Instead Of Asking A Person Of Colour To Explain Things For You

In the spirit of racial equality, the Chartered Insurance Institute’s (CII) Policy and Public Affairs team will be launching an outreach programme to the BAME insurance community to focus on what the CII offers in terms of support for BAME professionals, areas for improvement and what more we can do to celebrate and support their contribution to our profession.