An annual event to raise awareness of the need for diversity and inclusion in the workforce will this year also kick-start a campaign calling for action.

The Dive In Festival, a re/insurance industry initiative, will take place in Bermuda and numerous other locations around the world from September 25 to 27.

It’s the third year the event has been staged in Bermuda. The inaugural Dive In Festival was held in 2015 in London.

This year the event will serve to launch a two-year campaign, Awareness into Action.

“After three years of raising awareness of the business case for diversity and inclusion, the global movement now looks to harness the energy of previous years to encourage action across the sector,” Dive In organisers stated today. “In support of this, the annual theme is #time4inclusion.”

Dive In will feature events in a record number of locations this year, including Bermuda, London, Dallas, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Paris, Perth, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Zurich.

In Bermuda, the Dive In line-up includes nine events including international and local keynote speaker addresses, panel discussions with topical experts, interactive workshops and a walking tour through history.

Brian Duperreault, chief executive of American International Group, will participate in a panel discussion on September 25, on “how we can effectively legislate and/or control behaviours around diversity and inclusion initiatives” and the potential social and economic impacts of such legislation in Bermuda.

The Bermuda Dive In Festival is supported by the Association of Bermuda International Companies, the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, AIG, Axa XL, Axis Specialty, Chubb, Ironshore, Markel, RenaissanceRe, Tokio Millennium Re and Willis Towers Watson.

Kevin O’Donnell, Abir chairman and RenaissanceRe CEO, said: “As an industry, we recognise that greater diversity and inclusion is necessary for future success.

“We are proud to support this year’s Dive In Festival, where participants will share practical ideas on how to move from awareness into action in order to increase diversity, foster inclusion and drive positive change.”

Registration for the Bermuda Dive In Festival is now open. All events are open to everyone who works in the re/insurance industry to attend free of charge with prior registration.

A mobile app for iPhone and Android devices — available at www.diveinfestival.com — has been designed to facilitate easy event sign-up and is packed with relevant content. Registrants should designate “Hamilton, Bermuda” as the location and then select the events they are interested in.

• For more information contact the Dive In Festival Bermuda committee at diveinfestival@xlcatlin.com. The full listing of events and detailed descriptions can be found online at https://diveinfestival.com/events/?country=34 and via the Dive In Festival app