Inclusion and Equal Opportunities at Allianz

In Allianz, ‘We care for tomorrow’ is our proposition for Employer Value which all our Inclusion and Equal Opportunities efforts and initiatives are strategically linked to. It is reflected in our employees’ lifecycle journey, with opportunities to get engaged in shaping a future that is safe, inclusive and sustainable. We embrace inclusion and equality, so everyone can bring their whole self to work, which is a key element to attract talent and remain an employer of choice.

Our approach to Inclusion and Equality is built on 6 key dimensions that guide our strategy. 

We celebrate all aspects of Diversity & Inclusion; in the hopes of creating real positive change in the wider community, as well as for our employees However, in this article we focus on 2 main aspects of D&I. In this article, our primary focus is on our Gender and Disability initiatives and are proud finalists in the National D&I Awards categories of Advancing Gender Inclusion and Advancing Disability Inclusion.

Here in Allianz Ireland, we closed the Pay Gap in 2021 and together with employee representatives have all measures in place that it stays closed in future. This means there is no pay gap between women and men performing the same or similar work. It goes in line with our open and transparent reward system which is based on merit.

As a result, we received EDGE certification (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) in 2021 and were recertified in 2023 are undertaking the recertification process once again in 2025. This international certification helps us to measure, monitor and understand our progress in gender equality. 

Allianz is a worldwide Olympic and Paralympic insurance partner. Allianz Ireland announced Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Orla Comerford as our new Allianz brand ambassador.

We also believe in a diverse and inclusive workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage our employees to bring their whole selves to work. One of our objectives is to widen access to mainstream employment for graduates with disabilities while supporting and building a more inclusive workplace. 

We are proud to hold an established partnership with Ahead, an independent non-profit organisation working to create inclusive environments in education and employment for people with disabilities. Through the WAM (Willing Able Mentoring) programme we recruit graduates each year, providing them with an opportunity to gain practical work experience. The programme has proven to be an overwhelming success for our graduates. We employ multiple graduates who are working within the business that were hired through the programme.  We have been awarded a WAM Leader Award for the last four consecutive years.

By working closely with some of our partners and groups like As I Am, Mental Health First Ireland and the Migraine Association of Ireland we want to shine a light on and increase understanding and empathy for those experiencing and living with visible and invisible disabilities.

We have also entered into a collaborative partnership with As I Am as part of their Communities in Practice. As part of our journey to become an autism and Neurodiverse friendly employer, our people leaders and employees have undertaken Autism Awareness training workshops and we have completed a sensory audit of our workplace. We have also recently opened a sensory room on-site.

We have internally launched a new Wellbeing initiative with the focus on the topic Mental Health. Allianz Ireland now have 33 Mental Health First Aiders, who have all taken part in an accredited training led by Mental Health First Aid Ireland. They are able to identify the signs and symptoms of fragile mental health and provide help on a first aid basis. 

We continuously strive to improve and be more inclusive and equitable by benchmarking ourselves against the best internally within the Allianz Group and externally. At every step we continue to review our ambition, and have set external benchmarks of achievement to validate our approach.  We have recently been awarded Silver Certification by the Irish Centre of Diversity, Ireland’s premier EDI mark.

Allianz has been working hard to secure people’s lives and give courage to people for what’s ahead. Our purpose, ‘We secure your future’ is a constant reminder that we strive to do it right – with passion, every day, because we know how important it is to have a fair partner at your side who provides solid and sustainable solutions.

We recognise joining a new company can be difficult, irrespective of gender, disability, race. Our Inclusion & Equal Opportunities strategy ensures equal opportunities throughout the entire employee lifecycle – from talent attraction and onboarding to learning and development or transition into retirement.