Aviva's Jan Gooding becomes brand’s first global inclusion director: ‘It makes business sense’
Insurance brand Aviva has appointed its first global inclusion director in current brand boss Jan Gooding, a move it says “makes business sense” given that “building a culture of inclusive diversity is central to Aviva’s future success.”
Aviva's Jan Gooding
Gooding will lead the inclusion and diversity strategy across the Group full time, formally taking on the role in January 2017.
“I am thrilled to have been appointed into this role with all the challenges and opportunities that go with it. The business case has been evidenced again and again across the world: people perform better at work when they can be themselves,” she said.
“Simply put, this is will focus attention on an area which will ensure we attract and keep the best talent and are better able to serve our customers. Varied and balanced voices leads to improvements in creativity, productivity and profitability in every sector.”
A successor to her current role as group brand director will “be announced in due course.”
Gooding has been a long-time advocate of inclusion issues, most recently in her role as the Chair of Trustees at Stonewall as well as promoting diversity and inclusion through her work as a member of the executive committee for Women in Advertising and Communications London (WACL)
Earlier this year, at the Festival of Media, Gooding labelled herself a "walking tick box" because her age, gender and sexuality but implored the industry to "get angry" about its barriers to entry and lack of diversity.
She said: "This sector has a lot of catching up to do. You influence so many brands and produce so much important content that you are almost the most important sector that we need to wake up to this agenda."