Diversity

We believe in a business that's diverse and inclusive

We believe fostering a diverse and inclusive culture is key to the successful delivery of our future strategy

We want LV= to be a truly inclusive place where everybody feels comfortable being themselves and where individuals are recognised and respected.

We’re committed to creating a positive culture right across the business – a culture that embraces, values and celebrates individual differences.

At LV=, an inclusive culture is important to us and to me personally. The diversity of our team is critical – I want all our colleagues to be able to bring their whole self to work.
David HynamLV= CEO

Allyship

Our Balance network is an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that champions gender equality providing resources, safe spaces to discuss issues and support for all gender identities through the milestones that occur in life.

Our Pride network is an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that supports LGBTQIA+ colleagues and allies both in and out of the workplace. The network aims to create awareness and normalise conversation around the topic and values and respects everyone’s unique diversity.

Our Diversability network is an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that aims to champion and deliver a workplace and environment for all our colleagues who have diverse needs to ensure we enrich our organisation through diverse perspective and talents.

Our Respect network is an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that aims to foster an inclusive culture where all backgrounds, whether that be ethnic, religious, cultural or socio economic, are celebrated, valued and heard.

Our Wellbeing network is an Employee Resource Group (ERG) focusing on ensuring our colleagues feel energised and empowered and have the tools and resources to look after their wellbeing and live happier and healthier lives.

We’re a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader

This demonstrates that we meet the UK government’s highest standards for inclusive employers.

Driven by the success of achieving level 2 status in 2024 and in collaboration with our colleague-led Diversability network, we continued to further improve our policies, procedures and behaviours.

Our aim is to be inclusive to everyone and we’re committed to supporting all colleagues to give their best.

“I’m delighted that we’ve reached another important milestone in our journey. The purpose of the network is to help us all understand seen and unseen disabilities, how we effectively support our colleagues and be clear on the positive impacts we are making across the business. This accolade demonstrates our commitment to being an inclusive employer and supporting everyone to give their best, benefiting our members, customers, advisers and each other.” – Anita Fernqvist, Chief Operating Officer

disability confident leader

Commitment pillars

Underpinning our strategy are three core pillars. These are fundamental in ensuring our long term commitment to our DEI journey.

Transparency

Openness matters to us. We believe transparency helps build trust, strengthens our culture and keeps us accountable to our colleagues, members and customers.

We’re committed to being clear about where we are on our DEI journey — sharing our progress honestly, celebrating what’s going well and being open about where we still have work to do. We also want our people to feel confident and supported in sharing their diversity information, knowing it helps us build a fairer and more inclusive workplace for everyone.

How this shows up in practice

We openly share our approach to DEI and report on our progress, both internally and externally.
We continue to broaden the diversity data we collect, including socio-economic information, to better understand the experiences of our colleagues.
We foster pride in our culture by celebrating inclusion and the impact of our DEI activities across LV=.

Accountability

Everyone at LV= should have an equal chance to succeed. We want our organisation to reflect the world we live in, at every level, and to be a place where people feel respected, valued and able to be themselves.

We’re clear about the standards we expect. Discrimination of any kind has no place at LV=, and we all share responsibility for creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment.

How this comes to life day to day

We build understanding and confidence through behavioural, diversity and wellbeing training for all colleagues and line managers.
We take steps to make our recruitment fairer, including using anonymised CVs.
We encourage allyship across LV=, so everyone feels accountable for speaking up, supporting one another and doing the right thing.

Engagement

We’re committed to understanding the world around us and learning from each other. By listening, sharing experiences, and acting on what we hear, we create a culture where everyone feels seen, supported and able to thrive.

We recognise that we’re all different, and we work to remove barriers so that everyone has the same opportunities to succeed and contribute fully.

How this comes to life

Colleague-led networks bring people together, celebrate diverse events, and share personal stories.
Reverse mentoring helps us learn from one another across roles and experiences.
We actively engage in our local communities, applying what we learn to make a positive impact.

What does this mean for LV=?

To embed our DEI strategy into the heart of our culture, we need to consider the following elements…

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How we work

We listen to our colleagues through regular DEI and wellbeing questions in our engagement surveys.
We encourage everyone to get involved - by joining our DEI and Wellbeing networks or by being an active ally.
We nurture diverse talent and create opportunities for people to grow.
We make sure our policies and guidance are inclusive and accessible.
We communicate clearly, openly and with purpose.

Image of a group of Women in an office environment

Lead from the top

Our leaders and line managers champion inclusive behaviours and take accountability for the culture we create.
Senior sponsorship helps keep inclusion visible and meaningful across the organisation.
Leaders connect with colleagues at every level, listening and responding to what matters.
Everyone is encouraged and empowered to play their part in driving positive change.

Learning culture

Provide tools, programmes and support to increase awareness and understanding of DEI for colleagues and LV=.
Build leader and line manager capability.
Enable colleague led DEI and Wellbeing networks to drive initiatives and activities.
Gain regular feedback from internal stakeholders and promote external learning from other organisations and bodies.

Image of an employee at their office desk

Data driven

Collect and report data at an aggregate level internally and externally.
Set targets using external benchmarking and monitor progress transparently.
Use consistent metrics to understand effectiveness of actions taken.

Gender pay gap report

Equality starts with honesty. Our gender pay gap report sets out where we stand, what's changed, and how we're working to create a more balanced and inclusive workplace for everyone.

More about gender pay gap report

Our partnerships