DEI is an ‘attitude’ not a journey – John Neal

The concept of culture is often described as a journey that must be embarked upon when it comes to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace – but it’s really about attitude.

That was according to John Neal, chief executive at Lloyd’s of London, who addressed delegates during a panel session at the Dive In festival entitled A Sustainable Future: The Next 10 Years today (24 September 2024).

He said: “We talk about inclusion and diversity, we want it in businesses, [but] it is all about attitudes. Do we want it or do we not want it? If we do, it will happen and it can happen quickly.”

Neal told delegates that, when Dive In first started, he arrived in Australia and admitted that he “wasn’t prepared for the challenges,” such as adjusting to cultural differences.

He noted that, during his time in Australia, he discovered the federal government had mandated gender equality in 2011, which surprised him.

He continued: “I met Andrew McKenzie, the then chief executive at BHP, who shared how [his firm had] ditched traditional job descriptions and instead focused on attributes for roles.”

Via this practice, BHP identified that people in the nursing profession had the best traits for mine operators and decided to train them for the role. When the company saw an 8% productivity boost, Neal said that settled the argument for him.

He added: “So, when you talk about diversity and inclusion, of course, it makes a difference. Of course, it adds value to the business. Sometimes, you’ve just got to push the button.”

Setting targets

Neal noted that when it comes to DEI, targets have to be set to “try [and] make progress”.

He said: “We talk about it a lot – we set gender targets and we set intentions around including colleagues from ethnic minorities and diverse backgrounds.”

Additionally, there is the target that one in three hires across the Lloyd’s market should from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Neal added: “For me, fundamentally, it’s about attitude. Why wouldn’t you want to be as inclusive as you want to perform financially? And if we don’t hit the targets, I think there has to be a consequence.”

Meanwhile, he explained that Lloyd’s holds 13 principles – one of which is culture.

Neal said: “Four of these are gateway principles and one of them is culture. If you don’t meet the gateway principle, you’re not here.

“You’ve got to be very clear, patient, nurture people and encourage them but, at some point, you have to draw the line.

“When it comes to people, talent and inclusion, which ultimately define all of us, you’ve got to draw a line.”