Life at SCOR

SCOR recognizes the importance of fostering a sense of belonging and promoting a diverse and inclusive environment for its employees. To support this, the SCOR Inclusion Global Network, SIGN+, was launched in 2017 to align all existing local DEI initiatives. This global employee-led network, provides opportunities for employees to champion diversity and inclusion and collectively learn about the significance of DEI and its impact on their professional wellbeing.

“There was a need from the people in SCOR to address broader diversity topics and, at the same time, HR noticed improvement opportunities in these areas,” said Camille Eymard, Head of Knowledge Data Operations at SCOR and Leader of SIGN+ Paris.

SIGN+ is led by employees who are passionate about enacting change and promoting education within the workplace to foster a better sense of community and collaboration. To achieve this, they organize regular internal events, guest speakers, webinars, and networking sessions that allow colleagues to connect.

Each country has its own network, as the topics of focus vary based on local culture and social trends.

“The idea is to open everyone’s eyes to what’s happening. Some topics might have seemed unusual for SIGN+ to address at the time, but we act as an incubator for initiatives that, once proven effective, are officially integrated into SCOR,” said Camille.

Every year, we host dozens of events through our SIGN+ network globally. Take a closer look at a few of the SIGN+ programs at SCOR offices around the world and their most successful SIGN+ events.

SCOR Paris

SCOR’s Paris headquarters established SIGN+ in 2017 to bring all existing networks together and have greater impact. Naturally, the SIGN+ Community in Paris has been one of the longest-standing and has served as an important incubator of ideas and a catalyst for growing employees’ understanding of inclusion and diversity worldwide. Paris’s SIGN+ initiatives often address topics such as work-life balance, mental health, gender equity, and more.

Currently, the focus is on engagement and encouraging employees to share different points of view, helping the company to keep learning and evolving. Here are some of the most successful events held in recent years in our Paris offices.

In March 2023, Nilushika Jayaweeram from “Emerging Hope Lanka” gave a conference about her life experiences and what led her to establish this non-profit in Sri Lanka. This event was one of the most attended, as it was a joint effort between SIGN+ and SCOR for Good. In addition to learning about her story, SIGN+ also donated to her non-profit, providing resources and equipment for over 200 students in Sri Lanka to continue their education.

As sponsors of the 2024 Dive In Festival, SIGN+ Paris hosted an event presenting the fundamentals of financial education and highlighting how women often have less exposure to financial education than men. This topic is particularly relevant for SCOR as a reinsurance company as we consider the role we can play in supporting financial wellbeing.

SCOR Iberia and Latam

After the success of the early events held at some of the SCOR offices such as Paris and London, there was an opportunity to expand to new regions where SCOR operates. When moving from the Paris to Madrid office, Juliana de Montserrat Rios decided to bring the SIGN+ initiative with her. She now leads SIGN+ Iberia, LatAm, and Italy.

“The energy and commitment in Paris was contagious, and I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of,” said Juliana de Montserrat Rios, Head of Proposition Iberia & LatAm L&H. “As a young Mexican woman working in the reinsurance industry in France – a space that wasn’t always known for its diversity – I saw this as an opportunity not only to give back but to help build a workplace where everyone, regardless of their background, feels like they belong and can thrive. It was also my way of paying forward the support and encouragement I received throughout my career.”

SIGN+ Iberia, LatAm, and Italy has been active ever since with successful initiatives such as training sessions centered on communication and emotional intelligence. One such training focused on unconscious biases and emotional intelligence in communication, in which participants were given practical strategies for managing stressful situations both individually and as a team, helping to improve workplace interactions.

Employees also appreciated the workshop series on mental health hosted in collaboration with psychologists from our partner iFeelm a platform dedicated to mental health and self-care. These sessions emphasized empathy and its application when working with colleagues from different generations, offering insights into how diverse approaches can lead to better understanding and collaboration.

These experiences have fostered a more positive approach among colleagues, enhancing workplace interactions. This has led to better decision-making, reduced conflict, and increased empathy and emotional intelligence in the office.

SCOR United States

In the US, SIGN+ volunteers recognized that employees increasingly felt the need not only to address inclusion but also to acknowledge the importance of belonging. As topics of psychological safety have been increasingly important to our US colleagues, SIGN+ US has become DEB, the Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (DEB) committee.

“It was important for us to use ‘belonging’ instead of other words,” said Al Mele, Head of Agile Center of Excellence and a passionate leader of the DEB Committee. “You could have a bunch of people in the room [and they could all be included], but if you don't feel like you belong, you're not going to say anything, share your voice, or share your opinion. Meaning that others don't get the benefit of the things that you know and have experienced.”

The DEB committee strives to recognize and celebrate holidays and national recognition days with events like this year’s Caribbean American Heritage Month lunch, Disability Pride Month educational webinar, and Mental Health Awareness seminar.

With each of these events attracting over 200 attendees, DEB continues to attract new members, a welcome trend for the committee whose goal is to increase membership rate by 10% each year.

Moreover, they are bringing employees together to ensure diverse voices are heard from all employees, contributing to business decisions and SCOR goals.

“We want people to understand what our mission is,” said Marjorie Bridges, head of the DEB Committee. “Standing in support of what we’re trying to do is really the first step and most important.”

Today, SCOR has SIGN+ networks in our offices in France, Germany, Ireland, UK, United States, Switzerland, Spain & LatAm, Singapore, as well as active DEI ambassadors in other offices. No matter what SCOR office you are in, our employees highlight the importance of wellbeing and work-life balance and SIGN+ is a crucial initiative for supporting our employees, celebrating diversity, and fostering inclusion.

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