Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
IRLA’s culture and ethos, driven by its membership means that we take our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) very seriously, and this along with pro bono work from the directors and committees are an important commitment for sharing knowledge and networking across all of our membership firms.
It goes without saying that every board and committee member works pro bono for the association and we cannot thank them all enough. Our speakers and trainers, in the main are also working pro bono and they donate this time in the shared belief that knowledge shared is knowledge for the benefit of all. Our charitable support tends toward UK based and operated charities where our fund raising comes in direct response to a request for support. As a not for profit mutual the IRLA board does not feel that it can commit members funds to any long term relationship and therefore we limit our involvement to certain fund raising events.
Our CSR programme, which is overseen by Jenny Fair and Development Director Leslie-Ann Giovnilli extends to the aspects shown to the right and below.
Diversity, Equality & Inclusion
We will foster an inclusive working environment where difference is embraced and where people feel valued and respected. We incorporate equality into our core objectives, making every effort to eliminate discrimination, create equal opportunities and develop good working relationships between different people. This inclusion extends to the neural diverse as well as the typical.
IRLA Code of Conduct
This statement constitutes IRLA’s Code of Conduct position.
The IRLA Board believe that an important principle of leadership is to set a positive example regarding fair and ethical behaviour, and that IRLA members will respond positively in their own behaviours based on what they see of the Board’s conduct. The Board pledge to treat all members with courtesy and ask the same in return. The Board also asks that members are respectful of fellow members and Association staff and uphold the Associations core values of leadership, professionalism, trust and respect.
Association Directors and staff have the right to perform their duties and to assist others without fear of being assaulted, threatened, verbally abused or discriminated against.
Any actions, unintentional or otherwise which cause members, directors or staff to feel threatened, uncomfortable or embarrassed are unacceptable. Any reported act or threat of physical or verbal abuse, or discrimination will be acted upon immediately by the IRLA Board.
IRLA takes exclusion and instances of misconduct very seriously. If you feel you have experienced discrimination or harassment whilst attending an IRLA event please contact us in strict confidence at confidential@irla-international.com and we will investigate the issue.
The statement is reviewed regularly by the Board to ensure its continuing suitability and relevance to IRLA’s activities.
Pro bono and legacy community training
We offer support and training on a pro bono basis, to a range of students and other not-for-profit organisations, as well as government employees. This may include:
- Working with students to research their dissertations and supporting their search for funding
- Enabling students to have access to specialist re/insurance related training at no cost
- Acting as mentors and referees as well as providing ‘soft skills’ experience
- Arranging day release and placement work for legal students
- Charitable programmes
The Board which meets on a regular basis also consider suggestions for projects the association should support. Suggestions from members have been accepted and acted upon.
Our charitable support is driven by personal request from either a member or directly from a charity. Support is provided by individual teams taking part in fundraising activities or by specific activities at association events run by our Secretariat team.
Some of our directors and members are also participants on charity boards. IRLA acts as a conduit for our charity partners to broadcast their success, raise funds and by creating our own following a fund raising event.
Supporting worthy causes
IRLA is a proud supporter of charitable causes, usually via a member driven fund raising event, but the board are also asked to consider other worthy causes that may not require a resource heavy commitment.
As a not for profit, IRLA keeps its donation budget to around £500 pa, but appeals to its members to further support the chosen charity.
In the last 15 years IRLA, with the fantastic support of its members, has raised and donated over £91,500 – not a small sum.
We hope that in 2024, with your support, we can continue to make a difference.
As the legacy association we are also partnering with the Insurance Museum to encourage members to share or loan artifacts from their archives and to bring some history, via guided tours of EC3, to our newest members.
Environment
We are committed to recycling within our Secretariat office. We are consistently recycling over 90% of the waste collected, which is not burnt or sent to landfill. In addition, all the paper we use in the printers is FSC approved and thus sourced responsibly. We have a number of green initiatives around the use and re-use of computer and printing equipment, including night-time shut-down and the recycling of old equipment with local charities.
If you have any questions or queries on CSR matters please contact secretariat@irla-international.com in the first instance.
The IRLA Board believe that an important principle of leadership is to set a positive example regarding fair and ethical behaviour, and that IRLA members will respond positively in their own behaviours based on what they see of the Board’s conduct. To this end we have drawn up these Corporate Social Responsibility aims.