Marianne Cowie, strategic execution manager at Zurich, speaks to Health & Protection about corporate attitudes towards gender presentation, getting to a good place in ensuring workplaces are LGBTQ+ inclusive and how the sector needs to up its game in attracting diverse LGBTQ+ talent into the industry.
What have been your own experiences with regard to attitudes towards LGBT communities in the sector?
Typically I see three types of attitudes – at one end you’ve got people who are confident to engage with me on LGBTQ+ topics and really embrace the concept of allyship. At the other you have those that are actively disparaging or discriminatory. But thankfully those experiences are few and far between. The majority of people sit somewhere in the middle. They demonstrate passive support but perhaps don’t totally understand the colourful complexity of the LGBTQ+ community.
How have attitudes evolved in the sector?
Since I started in the sector in 2015, I’ve seen an increase in willingness to learn and engage with LGBTQ+ resource groups and events. People want to know how they can help drive change and the breadth of people getting involved has really increased. I’ve experienced a real shift from feeling like there was only a small group of us talking about LGBTQ+ inclusion to colleagues all over the business flagging processes or policies that could be more inclusive.
What is the sector doing well and where does it need to up its game?
I think we’re getting to a good place with ensuring our workplaces are LGBTQ+ inclusive. But there are still some challenges for people who are trans and non-binary. We also have a great cross industry network, Link, that brings together LGBTQ+ professionals and champions inclusive products and services. You should check them out if you’re new to the sector. An area where I think we can do better is on attracting diverse LGBTQ+ talent into the industry to ensure it truly reflects our customer base.
Do you feel encouraged and enabled to bring your whole self to work?
Yes I do. I am very grateful that the culture at Zurich has always meant I feel safe to be who I am. I know so many colleagues would have my back should I need them to. However, I think it’s important to remember that my gender presentation and background means that I blend in easily. The whole spectrum of queer identities do not fit into a neat corporate box. I hope we continue to ensure the whole LGBTQ+ community is made to feel as welcome as I am.
