The purpose of this document is to outline the MGAA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion so that it is clear to our employees, members, and communities what the MGAA believes and stands for.

Diversity at the MGAA means employing a workforce that is made up of various racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds as well as different lifestyles, experiences, and interests. Inclusion is about cultivating a work environment which allows the benefits of diversity to be realised.

At the MGAA, we understand and value different people, perspectives, and experiences. We are committed to promoting equality for all employees and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals feel comfortable and confident and where everybody is treated with respect in the workplace.

We believe that diversity and inclusion is fundamental to a successful business – it leads to a better workplace culture, appreciation of risk, decision-making and performance. Research shows that diversity increases productivity. By hiring different people and promoting different perspectives, we can foster innovation. By creating a space where employees feel comfortable to bring their whole selves to work, we will ensure people thrive and make the best use of their skills at the MGAA.

The MGAA CEO is responsible for the oversight and future amendments to the policy, with the MGAA
Executive reporting to the Board on enforcements.

This policy applies to all employees of the MGAA and all aspects of the MGAA’s relationship with employees and prospective hires as well as relations between employees. This includes job advertisements, recruitment and selection, training and development, opportunities for promotion, conditions of service, pay and benefits, conduct at work, disciplinary procedures, and termination of
employment. This policy is not applicable to MGAA members.

The purpose of this policy is to:

Prevent, reduce, and eliminate all forms of unlawful discrimination in accordance with the Equality Act 2010; Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Pay and Benefits
• Terms and conditions of employment
• Dealing with grievances and discipline
• Dismissal
• Redundancy
• Parental Leave
• Requests for flexible working
• Employment selection
• Promotion
• Training and other developmental opportunities

Promote and provide equality, fairness, and respect for all in company employment.

The MGAA considers the following characteristics key in our pursuit to be a diverse and inclusive company:

This refers to a group of people defined by the same national, racial, or cultural origins. The racial and cultural diversity of our workforce is represented at all levels of the organisation through challenging stereotypes and understanding, respecting, and valuing different racial and cultural backgrounds and perspectives.

Religion is a particular system of faith and worship whilst belief includes religious and philosophical beliefs including lack of belief (i.e., atheism). At the MGAA, we ensure people are treated fairly irrespective of their religious beliefs or political opinions.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being which can affect how we think, feel and act. We recognise that life can present many challenges, so we aim to ensure our employees feel supported and know where to go for help.

Disability encompasses a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities. At the MGAA we recognise that a disability does not have to be a limitation by focussing on what people can do rather than what they cannot, challenging stereotypes around disabilities and making adjustments in the workplace to assist people with disabilities.

Sex relates to being a person. The MGAA supports people equally and aims to ensure that all are accurately represented across all levels of the company. We also make sure that people are fairly rewarded for their contribution to the company irrespective of gender. We encourage people to challenge gender stereotypes and recognise that not everyone identifies as male or female.

Sexual orientation relates to an individual’s sexual attraction towards either their own sex, the other sex, to both sexes or to none. Everyone at the MGAA is treated fairly in the workplace irrespective of their sexuality and we achieve this through respecting different lifestyles and challenging stereotypical views.

Social status or class is a person’s standing or importance in relation to other people within a society.

At the MGAA, we welcome job applicants from a variety of backgrounds and encourage a culture of inclusivity where everybody is respected and made to feel welcome.

This specifically refers to a person belonging to a particular age or age group. Age diversity within the workforce is promoted and valued through challenging age stereotyping and recognising the benefits of a mixed-age workforce.

In the first instance the employee should raise any grievance with the MGAA CEO. In the event this is not appropriate then the employee should raise the grievance directly with the Chair of the LCCE.

At the MGAA, we want to ensure that diversity and inclusion is embedded throughout the organisation. These are some of the actions we are taking to achieve this:

• Training programme – Our staff play a crucial role in helping to practice, promote and embed a diverse and inclusive culture at the MGAA. All staff are encouraged to complete diversity and inclusion training which includes education on our values and examples of how these can be put in to practice effectively in the workplac.
• Recruitment process – We consider our diversity and inclusion values throughout the whole of the recruitment process. Steps are taken to avoid unconscious bias during interviews and the hiring process.
• We support the Dive In Festival for diversity and inclusion in insurance – we encourage our colleagues to attend as many of the events throughout the festival as possible.
• We celebrate International Women’s and Men’s Day.
• Gender Pay Gap – although a company of our size is not required by the UK government to publish gender pay statistics, this is something we are addressing at the MGAA through recruitment, retaining talent, promoting from within and giving women the necessary support to return to work after parental leave.
• We regularly invite subject matter experts to share their insights and experiences of Diversity & Inclusion with MGAA employees to expand our knowledge and better our understanding of the issues.

If you wish to discuss any aspects of this policy, please contact the LCCE Committee. For complaints or concerns relating to Diversity and Inclusion, please contact the MGAA Complaints Sub Committee (part of the LCCE).