Swiss Re CEO UK & Ireland on LGBTQ inclusion: ‘You have to lead by example’

Jason Richards, CEO UK & Ireland at Swiss Re, speaks to myGwork about how he has found success in his career and why LGBTQ inclusion is a vital part of his leadership.

Growing up in a working-class family in South London, Jason picked a career in insurance as everyone else was going into banking, and he thought it better to choose something different. This turned out to be an excellent choice. Fast forward to today, and he’s CEO UK & Ireland at Swiss Re – one of the world’s most successful reinsurance providers.

As a child, Jason’s grandmother would always tell him: “Just work hard and it will pay off.” So that’s exactly what he’s done. From the very beginning, Jason used this work ethic to focus on roles that sparked his curiosity and excited him. Instead of a career strategy for the best job title, or pay package, he was drawn in by a desire to learn.

“I’ve really tried to focus on learning in my career,” Jason says. “So, I tried to keep my learning curve steep. Try different things. And work for good people. That’s been my principle, instead of focusing on a job title – that’s not what excites me. What I care about is who I work with and the learning curve that I am on. I also always try to be flexible. If you’re flexible, you open yourself up to more opportunities. That’s been the basis of my career, it wasn’t a fancy career plan.”

Across his career, Jason has worked a plethora of roles – all around the world – and what he takes away at the heart of why he enjoys it so much is the opportunity he has had to work with so many different people from different cultures and backgrounds across the globe. 

“For me, it’s important to get the most out of individuals and get the best for them too – so people can really be their true selves and realise their true potential. As employers, we play an important role in helping people realise their potential.”

Knowing personally how vital it is to work for an employer you care about, Jason has taken this lesson into his leadership. He also understands that if you can create a workplace environment where everyone can show up authentically as themselves, they are more likely to make better decisions – small steps towards inclusion can avalanche into a kinder workplace and a more effective business. 

“It’s about people feeling that they belong to an organisation. If they belong to an organisation, I think people perform better, and they’ll be more comfortable saying their own opinions, speaking up and challenging others more – which I believe then leads to better decisions. Over time, if we have better decision-making, we have better results. The essence, for me, is also in the sense of fairness and justice and ensuring people feel good about what they’re doing.

“When it comes to fairness and justice – I don’t think you can talk the talk on this unless you are an ally. So, becoming one was an easy decision because of how important diversity is in all dimensions to me. Hopefully, by being an ally, I can make it help make an impact, be supportive, and try to drive real action and change.”

As he leads Swiss Re UK & Ireland, he sees his commitment to allyship as vital as ever. With over 900 employees in the region, it’s a very big team, he explains. So, through his leadership, he is very aware of the impact he can have on creating a welcoming environment for all LGBTQ+ employees and the influence he can have across the teams on fostering allyship. On top of this, he hopes that through a visible and authentic commitment to LGBTQ+ equality. This can further influence the marketplace and their over 200 clients. 

“I want to make sure that [Swiss Re’s] voice is heard and that we are vocal in our commitment to LGBTQ+ equality. I also have a family. I have three kids and now a grandchild – I want the world to be a safer and fairer place for them. And I think companies can play a big role in how we live diversity in all dimensions.”

This commitment is evident in Swiss Re’s LGBTQ network. It’s one of six networks at the organisation, focused on delivering tangible change. This has included their work with LGBTQ charities such as Global Butterflies, who have helped them develop their transitioning at work policies. 

“[The network] is able to really push forward fostering an environment where people can freely and openly express themselves. An environment that’s free from discrimination and any form of prejudice and does a lot of really vital activities to bring that to life.”

Swiss Re has also launched an inclusive language handbook, which Jason explains has become a vital resource that outlines terminology so that everyone can feel empowered to make the language they use fully inclusive. 

On top of this, the company has introduced all-gender bathrooms in more than 20 locations and offers in-house allyship training throughout the organisation. A big part of this work, Jason explains, is that by pushing this forward in the workplace, people can then take this back to their friends, families, and their day-to-day lives, hopefully sharing that message to create further awareness.

Jason firmly believes we all have a role to play in being the change we wish to see, and as a leader, he sees it as crucial that he is visibly working towards creating a kinder and more equal world. “You must lead by example. And that’s what I tried to do in my career. And I’m trying to do that much more actively in the role I’m in now, particularly with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Jason is also a member of a group aiming to increase representation for Black, Asian, mixed, and other minority ethnic professionals: RATL (Race Action Through Leadership). He was recently appointed to the Board of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), where he is engaging in their diversity strategy and the work they are doing across the sector. Jason also makes a conscious effort to talk about these activities and the work of their LGBTQ network with clients and colleagues. Their network has also collaborated with clients, and they are now working together to diversify insurance products with more trans-inclusive insurance options.

“It’s a conversation that must happen cross-sector,” Jason explains. “Most employees will work in several companies in the sector, and Swiss Re does not exist in a vacuum, so if we can create change that ricochets across all corners of the industry, everyone benefits.” Therefore, Jason makes sure when he’s in meetings, particularly with his C-level peers from other organisations, that it is a conversation that is being heard.

“We can’t address the opportunity for change that we have right now alone. It’s the responsibility of everyone in the insurance industry. And we need to work together to attract and develop talent and create an environment where everyone’s voice and opinion can be heard and people feel comfortable, but we can’t just do it alone. And then in decision making, I really try to put a diversity hat on as much as I can, to make sure we are living up to the values and the future that we want to have in the firm.”

Starting life in what Jason describes as a normal working-class family, he managed to focus on finding a good employer, one that made him excited to learn and grow. This set him on an adventurous path to now leading Swiss Re UK & Ireland, moulding what the future of both the company and industry will look like. And he hasn’t forgotten how important it is to be excited and proud of where you’re working. Something that cannot be achieved if you are not accepted and included.

This is partly what has made Jason so dedicated to creating inclusion and equity in his workplace, to continue to learn from those with different lived experiences, to listen to his employees – with help from the networks – and to stand by his resolution to create an industry where everyone can feel proud showing up each and every day.

“I make sure I take the time to walk around the floor every single day – that’s really important to me. The best way to know how people are feeling is to walk around and talk to them. Employers have a vital role to play because people spend a lot of time at work. And for me, it’s about pushing forward and continuing the journey we’re on so that everyone can feel safe, included, happy, comfortable, and bring their true selves to their work life.”

Swiss Re is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ business community. Find out more about job opportunities at Swiss Re.