Briefing: Is neurodiversity being celebrated in insurance?

Neurodiversity Celebration Week kicks off on Monday 17 March.

According to the event’s website, the awareness week “is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences”.

The campaign aims “to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations and others around the world with the opportunity to recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual”.

As a marketplace where neurodiversity adds so much to risk management approaches, it will be interesting to see how insurance companies highlight their efforts to bring greater neurodiversity into the workplace.

International Women’s Day is fast approaching too on Saturday 8 March – many businesses are taking this as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the many female role models across their organisations.

The insurance industry more specifically does recognise the importance of neurodiversity alongside relying on these international events for promotion opportunities. For example, its annual Dive In Festival – typically held in September – themed its event around neurodiversity a few years ago, following sector lobbying.

Imaginative approaches to risk

According to Cambridge University Hospitals, neurodiversity refers “to the different ways a person’s brain processes information”.

In the world of insurance, this mentality can introduce new approaches to risk and enable businesses to see opportunities and challenges from different perspectives.

The actuarial sector has long been a home for intelligent, diligent staff who can approach risk in previously unimagined ways.

Some of the world’s most celebrated minds have been neurodiverse. However, these types of labels can carry a stigma and – with it – a reluctance from employers to seek to understand the benefits a neurodiverse member of staff can bring and how they can support neurodiverse staff.

For many neurodiverse employees, a workplace challenge is social communication – but with greater hybrid working, this barrier can be far better managed to the benefit of employees and employer alike.

Disability

Neurodiversity can be seen as hidden ‘disability’ – however the facts tell a far more sobering story of how neurodiverse individuals are the forgotten jewels in a workforce where diversity and inclusion drives are seen as a vital part of companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts.

Companies say they are tackling inclusion, but the facts say something else.

January 2025 figures from the UK government stated that the employment rate for disabled people with autism is 31%, compared to 54.7% for all disabled people – this highlights a significant gap for some neurodiverse people when it comes to accessing the job market.

I would love to be wrong, but I am unsure of the impact of Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Far from a cause for celebration, many businesses will prefer to keep its actions – or inactions – hidden.