Diversity & Inclusion
Approach
Travelers values the unique abilities and talents each individual brings to our organization and recognizes that we benefit in numerous ways from our differences. We benefit from our differences in culture, ethnicity, national origin, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information and sexual orientation. In that regard, as regularly reinforced by our Chairman and CEO and other senior leaders, diversity and inclusion is a business imperative for us.
As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we aim to:
- Foster an inclusive environment where all employees can reach their full potential.
- Employ a diverse workforce to maintain our talent advantage.
- Explore diverse markets today to tap into tomorrow’s opportunities.
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Our Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer leads our diversity and inclusion efforts. We also have a Diversity Council that is chaired by our Chairman and CEO and composed of the most senior members of the company’s leadership team. The council directs diversity initiatives such as:
- Raising awareness about the value of a diverse workforce.
- Partnering with business units to drive diversity strategies and develop business unit-specific tactics.
- Promoting key internal and external diversity programs.
- Raising awareness about the importance of community outreach and the inclusion of diverse suppliers in our procurement process.
We have three additional working councils that focus more extensively on implementing diversity and inclusion priorities: the Business Heads Working Council, the Diversity Networks Senior Advisor Working Council and the Field Leadership Working Council. These working councils support our efforts to enhance our leaders’ cultural competence.
- The Business Heads Working Council is focused on identifying emerging trends relating to diversity and inclusion and partners with our Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer to identify, agree upon and implement initiatives designed to encourage inclusive leadership.
- The Diversity Networks Senior Advisor Working Council provides strategic direction and coaching to the leaders of our employee-led Diversity Networks.
- The Field Leadership Working Council aims to ensure that our diversity and inclusion strategy is successfully executed in our field office locations, where approximately 75% of our employees are based.
Our unique Workforce Solutions team partners with Human Resources and business partners to help reinforce fairness and to ensure that our employees have the opportunity to be heard and to feel heard when it comes to decisions impacting their employment. This standalone department augments our existing channels for addressing employees’ concerns and serves as our organization’s “ambassador” for Travelers employees. The Workforce Solutions team provides another avenue for our employees to share candid, real-time feedback about their experiences and to receive practical guidance – all with an eye toward improving the employee experience. The Workforce Solutions team has also partnered with senior leaders across Travelers, along with Human Resources professionals, to create opportunities for “Courageous Conversations,” where employees can have open and honest discussions about various topics related to diversity and inclusion.
In addition to the numerous programs and initiatives we describe in further detail in this section, we have policies that encourage an inclusive culture and protect all employees from workplace harassment and discrimination. We use the results of our periodic “pulse” surveys and focus groups to inform our diversity and inclusion strategy and evaluate our progress. We also use metrics and analytics to measure, evaluate and act upon programs that impact the success of our people, our most important asset.
We collect data – including data aligned with EEO-1 gender and race categories – to evaluate the progress of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. This data includes employee census data, promotions, voluntary terminations and employee turnover. Our data demonstrates that we have made significant progress over the past decade. In each of the last 10 years, we have increased the percentage of people of color (as defined by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s EEO-1 race and ethnicity categories for the United States) in our workforce. As of December 31, 2023, women represent approximately 54% of our workforce and people of color represent approximately 27% of our U.S. workforce. We also continue to make year-over-year progress in promoting women and people of color. In each of the last 10 years, we have increased the percentage of women and people of color in U.S. management-level positions.
Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity_Inclusion
Board Oversight
Our Board of Directors encourages diversity and inclusion within Travelers – including within the Board itself – and oversees our diversity and inclusion efforts. Pursuant to its charter, the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board meets regularly with senior management, including our Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, to review and discuss our strategies to encourage diversity and inclusion within our company. In addition, the Board receives regular updates from senior management regarding the data we collect, and it oversees our progress. For information about the diversity of our Board of Directors, see the Governance Practices section of this site.
Inclusive Leadership & Training
Starting with our Chairman and CEO, we expect our leaders to actively demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion through their actions. On an annual basis, managers are assessed and held accountable for fostering a work environment where all employees are included and appreciated. This further helps us attract, retain, engage and develop employees from all cultures and backgrounds.
We provide training, development and cultural events to encourage an inclusive culture among all of our employees, including the company’s leadership. All employees are asked to complete the “Conscious Inclusion Workshop,” our inclusion education program, which explores biases and their impact in the workplace and how we can influence behaviors. The course also demonstrates how to be more intentionally inclusive in our day-to-day interactions.
To make clear that harassment and discrimination have no place at Travelers, we require harassment awareness training. This training not only covers legal definitions and our company policy but also takes a broader approach that explores ways to ensure a respectful work environment and sustain an “if you see something, say something” culture. To learn more about our overall approach to business conduct, see the Ethics & Responsible Business Practices section of this site.
The Travelers Diversity Speaks speaker series underscores our commitment to cultivating a culture that embraces the power of difference – a culture where individuality is honored and that recognizes that diverse perspectives benefit our employees, customers, agents and communities. Open to all employees, our Diversity Speaks events feature guest speakers who share personal stories and provide different experiences and viewpoints. The series marked its 16th year in 2023.
In addition to internal programming, the Travelers Institute hosts webinars that are open to the public and provide a platform to discuss diversity and inclusion efforts. For example, in a 2023 webinar, our Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer shared insights on how organizations can foster diversity and an inclusive culture – and why it matters. In another webinar, a Travelers Vice President shared how businesses can recruit, hire and retain employees with disabilities – specifically those who are neurodiverse.
Travelers’ Art Speaks initiative uses arts experiences – theater, visual arts, dance, film and music – to drive dialogue among employees about diversity and inclusion. Each year, Travelers supports arts and cultural organizations to help drive economic growth, enhance learning and build multicultural understanding – contributing to accepting and inclusive communities. In 2023, Art Speaks events included the Homage Exhibit, a thought-provoking interactive learning experience that explored the historical significance of Juneteenth through African-American historical artifacts. For more information on Art Speaks, see our illustrative initiative.
Diverse Talent Development & Pipeline
As part of our efforts to foster an inclusive culture, we continue to enhance our diverse talent pipeline. We provide learning and development opportunities, including career planning and mentoring assistance, to help employees with career development and preparation for potential advancement. Additionally, we have established deliberate recruiting, retention and development practices that are tailored to deepen diverse talent pools and broaden advancement opportunities. These practices include:
- Matching upcoming leaders with mentors within the organization and offering workshops to advance their careers within Travelers.
- An ongoing process to identify and develop top talent, including women and people of color, who may be ready for internal promotion opportunities.
- The use of talent acquisition strategies, including sourcing strategies, to help us create a pipeline of diverse candidates.
We also sponsor a number of external opportunities to support the professional development of all of our employees, including opportunities specific to nurturing diversity. Conferences attended by Travelers employees include the Workplace Forum on Workplace Inclusion, ASCEND Pan-Asian Leaders Convention, Women in Business Summit, Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Conference, Dive In Global Conference, Latinas & Power Symposium, National African-American Insurance Association (NAAIA) Conference, International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) Conference, the Out & Equal Summit, Black Enterprise Black Men XCEL and the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit.
We have numerous initiatives and partner with many college diversity groups and other organizations to cultivate our pipeline of talent:
- Our signature career pipeline program, Travelers EDGE®, provides students with a unique, holistic approach to education and career readiness. Through partnerships with colleges, universities, high schools and community-based organizations, Travelers EDGE increases access to higher education and provides students with opportunities to excel, which helps broaden the pool of talent seeking careers at Travelers or elsewhere in the insurance industry.
- We regularly participate in diversity and inclusion-focused industry events, forums and career fairs with organizations such as Gamma Iota Sigma and NAAIA, and serve as a sponsor of the Howard University FIRM Symposium.
- The military community is important to Travelers, and we’re proud of our partnerships with organizations that assist veterans in transitioning to civilian life, including Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Families, American Corporate Partners, Hiring Our Heroes Military Fellowship Program, the Military Spouse Employment Partnership & AcademyWomen.
- We have a unique partnership with several organizations that provide opportunities for people with disabilities, including Rochester Institute of Technology’s Spectrum Support Program, the University of Connecticut Werth Institute’s Center for Neurodiversity & Employment Innovation, Viability, Autism Services Resources Connecticut, and Disability:IN.
- We also foster partnerships with and sponsor diverse professional organizations such as the Black Insurance Industry Collective (BIIC), International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA), Young Risk Professionals, Girls Who Code, Hartford Youth Scholars, Prospanica, the Grace Hopper Celebration, Hartford Promise, the Page Education Foundation and Dive In.
To learn more about our overall approach to talent development, see the Human Capital Management section of this site.
We have received various awards and recognition for our diversity efforts, including:
- Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2016-2024, and scored 100% on the Corporate Equality Index, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2016-2024.
- Military Friendly® Company, VIQTORY, 2018-2024.
- Military Friendly® Employer, VIQTORY, 2007-2024.
- Military Friendly® Spouse Employer, VIQTORY, 2024.
- Best for Vets, Military Times, 2014-2023.
- Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion, Disability:IN and American Association of People with Disabilities, 2018-2023, and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index, 2018-2023.
- Autism Services & Resources Connecticut, Award of Excellence, 2021.
- Disability:IN Connecticut Employer of the Year, 2020.
See our Awards and Recognition page for a full listing.
Diversity & Professional Networks
In 2008, we created Diversity Networks, which are voluntary groups led by employees dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. The networks, which are open to all employees, are designed to help foster the retention, development, engagement and success of our employees through networking, mentorship and community volunteer opportunities. In addition, these groups are a resource for our business leaders, providing them with important insights and perspectives. Currently, we have 10 Diversity Networks:
- Asian & Allies
- Black and African American & Allies
- Disability & Allies
- Hispanic/Latino & Allies
- Indigenous & Allies
- Military/Veterans & Allies
- Pride & Allies
- Women & Allies
- Working Parents/Caregivers & Allies
- Young Professionals & Allies
More than 13,000 employees – nearly 40% of our employees – are members of one or more of these Diversity Networks. Each Diversity Network has a sponsor from our executive leadership team, who is responsible for the alignment of that Diversity Network’s vision, mission and objectives with our business goals and strategies. Executive sponsors serve two- to three-year terms as change champions and active advocates for the Diversity Network, making connections to people, resources and support across Travelers.
In addition to our 10 Diversity Networks, we have professional business groups that provide career development opportunities and support for their members. These groups include Women in Analytics & Allies, which has fostered individual development and helped increase the representation of women in actuarial and analytics positions at Travelers for more than 10 years; SHE Adds, for women in Finance at Travelers; SHE Rises, for those in Marketing, Communications, Research and Customer Experience; and EmpowHER+, for those in Technology and Operations. EmpowHER+ partners with nonprofit organizations to mentor and attract the next generation of talent to Travelers, including Girls Who Code, AnitaB.org and UMass Amherst’s Hack(H)er413.
We're Travelers
Supplier Diversity
By doing business with diverse suppliers, Travelers promotes the development of these enterprises and supports the growth of the communities in which we do business. We remain committed to providing procurement opportunities for a diverse array of prospective bidders, including qualified businesses owned by people of diverse backgrounds.
Our Procurement team tracks both Tier 1 Travelers spend with certified diverse suppliers and Tier 2 spend with diverse suppliers doing business with our prime suppliers, including subcontractors. These diverse suppliers are businesses owned by individuals from historically disadvantaged populations, such as women, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and veterans. We also maintain a database of diverse-owned prospective bidders available to participate in our request-for-proposal processes. In 2023, Travelers’ attributable spend with our Tier 1 and Tier 2 diverse suppliers was nearly $90 million. To learn more about the structure and goals of this program, visit the Supplier Diversity page on our corporate website.
In addition, we cultivate partnerships designed to encourage the development of diverse businesses, including a partnership with the Minority Business Development Institute (MBDI). Since 2021, Travelers has also participated in the Ascend Twin Cities initiative as an anchor corporation. The program uses the three-M model – markets, management and money – to provide a tailored approach to drive diverse-owned small business growth and job opportunities within the community.
Illustrative Initiatives
Our Drivers of Sustained Value
Diverse experiences and viewpoints yield greater insights and better outcomes, raising the bar on individual and team performance, sparking further innovation and sharpening our customer focus.
— Alan Schnitzer, CEO