My Path to Inclusion Leadership and Empowering Change

Letter to my Younger Self

After nine years at SCOR in various HR roles, I was named SCOR’s first Group Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement in 2022. I’m passionate about my work but reaching this point has been a journey that, while I can’t claim it was written in advance, undoubtedly started from childhood.

I grew up in a multicultural environment, not only at home but also at school and in the community around me, where many people were first or second-generation immigrants from former French colonies. Growing up in this community, I experienced the best that diversity has to offer and I developed a passion for learning about other cultures and languages that has never subsided.

But it wasn’t without its challenges. The community I grew up in was made up of people from different backgrounds but who nonetheless shared similar socio-economic challenges, with many living in poverty, having poor growth prospects, and feeling excluded, unheard, and unvalued.

I always loved learning and I was lucky to have strong academics abilities. Education became a social mobility accelerator for me, even if it felt at times that I had to work harder to earn my place or to afford it. I was fortunate to find mentors who believed in me more than I believed in myself sometimes. They pushed me to take up challenges but also advised me on financial support I could seek to finance my studies, such as scholarships and bursaries. I discovered the power of advocacy, allyship, and equity to ensure equal opportunities in education and professional development, principles that stuck with me and that I was determined to pay forward.

I have always been involved in initiatives that aimed to support underrepresented groups and improve the lived experience of others through student community projects first and then volunteering for a variety of charities, which I still do to this day. This passion guided my educational and career choices, leading me to roles that focused on people and organizational and cultural development.

One of the pivotal moments in my career was when I co-founded the RAISE committee in London, when I was Head of HR for SCOR UK. This committee focused on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and engagement initiatives to create a great workplace and support the communities around us, with a program around DEI, health and wellbeing, community engagement (through SCOR for Good), sustainability, and social activities. I have been chairing the RAISE committee since 2018 and it allowed me to implement programs that significantly improved workplace culture and employee satisfaction.

This role helped me develop a clear vision for what an inclusive, positive, and supportive workplace should look like. This vision, combined with my hands-on experience, prepared me for the role of Group Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement. Since stepping into this role, I have had the opportunity to lead on social sustainability topics across the Group through our #WorkingWellTogether program and contribute to shaping SCOR’s culture and brand on a wider scale.

The path wasn't always smooth. It’s no secret that people resist change and I’ve found that I need to be very vocal in advocating the importance of a strong company culture, improving people’s experience in the workplace, and encouraging engagement. These experiences taught me resilience and the importance of strategic communication and storytelling to unite people around a common purpose. I learned to find allies and leverage the passion of advocates to amplify capabilities and impact. I learned that significant positive impact can come from small acts that create a ripple effect.

My journey is ongoing and I am excited about the future. I aim to continue driving positive change through policies and programs that put people first and ensure that every employee feels valued and engaged. I am hoping to inspire others to become actors of change for a better more sustainable workplace and society.

Luckily, more companies are beginning to recognize the importance of fostering diverse, inclusive, and engaged workplaces and there are so many opportunities for those who want to make a difference by pursuing a career in DEI. My advice would be to get involved in community and change initiatives around you, whether that’s within your company, your industry, or local organizations. It’s a great way to meet people from all walks of life and open your mind to different experiences and perspectives. It enables you to reflect on how you can make the most of your position and network to make connections and create opportunities to progress DEI.

At the end of the day, DEI is not a qualification; it is a mindset, a filter that you apply to everything around you to improve the lived experience of all people.

About Sabrina Kruse

Sabrina Kruse is the current Head of HR in SCOR EMEA and Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement. Sabrina has 20 years experience in HR, Organisational and Cultural roles, 15 of which spent in the London Insurance Market. She joined SCOR in November 2013. 
Originally from Paris, Sabrina moved to London in 2007 after completing her Master’s in Business and HR Management at Business School ISC in Paris. 
Her passion is to work in true collaboration with leaders, managers and employees to achieve high performance and employee engagement. 
Sabrina is also passionate about Multicultural and Diversity Management and wants to help her organisation understand how to overcome potential challenges and barriers and embrace opportunities and benefits of a global and diverse workforce. 
This mission extends to broader scopes and Sabrina is involved with many DEI, Health & Wellbeing and Community networks in the Insurance Industry and beyond and a regular speaker at events on these topics. She is a committee member of the London Insurance Women Inclusivity Network, contributing to accelerating gender equal opportunity through development, coaching, mentoring and outreach programmes. 
Outside of work, Sabrina enjoys volunteering for various charities, exploring the world to continue to expend her cultural horizons, as well as cooking and dancing with her two little girls.

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