Insurance Times Awards 2026: Covéa explains how its inclusion policy is led by ‘people rather than a calendar’

Why did you put yourselves forward for the category?

We had good policies and awareness days, but we knew culture is what people experience every day and some conversations still weren’t happening. Menopause, grief, caring responsibilities and social mobility were being carried quietly – #YouCanToo changed that. It is a year-round movement where colleagues share their own stories, in their own words, with our community networks working as one connected community.

We put ourselves forward because it shows what inclusion looks like when it is led by people rather than a calendar and because the trust it has built is something we are genuinely proud of.

What makes your entry stand out and why should you win the award?

#YouCanToo stands out because it is led by our people and the results show it. A large majority of colleagues have voluntarily shared their diversity information, menopause disclosure has risen sharply in a single year and we have seen more ethnically diverse hires and a clear lift in our D&I engagement score.

Colleagues have also gone further themselves, such as setting up a Teams support community after an endometriosis talk. Our senior leaders share their own stories openly too. That is trust turned into action and recognised.

What would winning this award mean to you and your firm?

Winning would be a recognition of the colleagues who were willing to share a part of themselves, because they are the real success of #YouCanToo. It would celebrate every person who started a conversation, listened or supported someone else and it would show our brokers and customers that inclusion is central to how we work.

For Covéa, it would also encourage us to keep going, with more real conversations, practical support and opportunities for everyone to feel seen, heard and valued at work.