October brings Global Diversity Awareness Month.
In this month’s issue of The Actuary, together with IFoA Diversity Advisory Group chair Chika Aghadiuno, we spoke with editor Dan Georgescu on how the actuarial profession must evolve to better reflect society’s ethnic and social diversity.
I urged that the time has come for a more authentic approach. “It is more important that we have meaningful action – deeds, not words – and the IFoA is now in a serendipitous inflection point for cultural transformation under the leadership of Stephen Mann.”
I believe there are four organising principles for the IFoA to consider: Opportunity, Accessibility, Diversity and Sustainability. Opportunity means that young kids in disadvantaged communities who love maths have the opportunity to learn about the actuarial profession, and have the courage to dream of becoming actuaries. Accessibility means that if someone reaches the IFoA, our culture, attitudes, processes and decision-making are fair and open at entry-level, and ongoing as they progress through the system. On Diversity, we must make sure that the IFoA is diverse and gives opportunity in a fair way, taking into account people’s background and perspectives,”
As a profession, we must not stay within the narrow confines and comforts of our technical world. Social injustice is a societal risk and has to be eliminated – otherwise, human society, and the foundations on which our economic systems rest, cannot endure. Only then, can we achieve Sustainability.