Established in 1982, Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has 43 years of experience looking after New Zealand adventurers, and more than 15 years insuring Australians. As well as helping countless people travel with confidence, SCTI is equally committed to ensuring its people feel welcomed, included, and valued at work.

People are at the heart of SCTI’s success, and the business takes pride in providing a positive and inclusive environment for its team, which is also reflected in its diverse customer base. At its very core, SCTI is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as it strives to be one of New Zealand’s most inclusive and supportive workplaces. SCTI has always believed in celebrating and supporting diversity and the team believes this is more important than ever before. 

How DEI has evolved at SCTI

Back in early 2020, Covid-19 naturally had a significant impact on operations at SCTI, resulting in a restructure that reduced the workforce from 100-plus employees to 40. 

The committee’s vision continues to drive what we do for our people – we recognise that people are as diverse as the places our customers travel to

While those 40 employees rallied together to ensure the sustainability of the business, I was newly promoted and clear on the importance of bringing the remaining team together. I subsequently focused on nurturing communication and culture, with DEI playing a key part in this.

A committee of diverse individuals passionate about embracing and celebrating people was soon formed and continues to evolve, as does SCTI’s reputation for being an inclusive employer. 

Mua Moors, SCTI Lead Design and Test Analyst and Chair of the DEI committee, says the committee upholds SCTI’s philosophy of recognising that every individual deserves to be treated with equal respect in a welcoming, safe, and inclusive workplace.

“The committee’s vision continues to drive what we do for our people – we recognise that people are as diverse as the places our customers travel to,” says Moors. “We are committed to our journey of providing an inclusive culture for our team, where diversity is embraced and celebrated.”

In 2022, the DEI committee proposed SCTI obtain Rainbow Tick accreditation, which the senior leadership team (SLT) unanimously agreed to support. Rainbow Tick, valued throughout New Zealand, is granted to organisations that complete a diversity and inclusion certification process to ensure the workplace understands, values and welcomes sexual and gender diversity.

Over 10% of the SCTI workforce at that time identified as members of the LGBTTQIA+ community, including two members of the SLT.

I was extremely grateful for and proud of the Rainbow Tick certification, which took less than six months to complete, and the team who worked hard to achieve it. This was a significant milestone that’s worn with pride, demonstrating to our customers, the wider community and our team members that SCTI is a safe and welcoming workplace for members of the rainbow community.

I made a commitment to achieve Rainbow Tick certification so the business could:

• Ensure a safe workplace where people are encouraged to be their true selves
• Attract and retain a diverse range of team members
• Demonstrate its safe and inclusive services for its diverse customer base.

I’m passionate about improving diversity and inclusion within the workplace and across the broader insurance industry. Even before my appointment as its first female CEO, the team at SCTI has always believed in equal opportunities for all.

SCTI’s Gender Identity and Sexual Diversity policy demonstrates its commitment to: 

• Providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive workplace for its people, regardless of their gender identity and expression, sex characteristics, or sexual orientation
• Acknowledging and including same-sex spouses and partners and families in the way that opposite sex spouses and families are
• Ensuring that everyone’s significant relationships and  whānau are recognised
• Using the titles, names, and pronouns of choice of transgender people
• Providing support to people who may transition gender while at work.

To help ensure that SCTI attracts candidates for roles who are aware of the culture of acceptance and inclusion, DEI also informs part of the interview structure, and all employees go through an LGBTTQIA+ training module provided by Rainbow Tick as part of the onboarding process.

Customer Service Representative Gustavo Ferreira, who is also the leader of rainbow stream, which organises SCTI’s participation in Pride events, says these modules have helped raise awareness and foster a more inclusive workplace: “The sessions motivate the team to actively engage in the Pride events, which in turn helps create a more supportive and diverse environment for everyone. SCTI is loud and proud about its support for the rainbow community, showing up in force, alongside the Southern Cross family of brands, for events such as the Pride Parade and Big Gay Out. I’m delighted to see more team members show their support every year.”

As part of a regular survey, team members are asked how engaged they feel based on their sexual orientation and ethnicity

SCTI also acknowledges and celebrates the Pacific Language Weeks, New Zealand Sign Language Week and Pink Shirt Day – which addresses bullying and supports Te Ao Māori and Te Reo Māori, and neurodiversity.

Measuring success

As part of a regular survey, team members are also asked how engaged they feel based on their sexual orientation and ethnicity. This enables SCTI to respond if there are certain groups and/or minorities that may feel less engaged than others. The first survey revealed that employees who answered and shared that they identified as gay had above-average engagement scores. 

The last survey completed in 2023 revealed that SCTI’s overall measure for inclusion was 91% favourable, up 11% on the global average. For diversity and voice, SCTI scored 94% and 92% favourable, with growth and contribution to the broader purpose sitting in the 80s.  

The survey report included the following comments from two rainbow team members working at SCTI:

“I came from a different background previously where there was no SLT or employees who were overtly or openly gay, so it was wonderful to see people who are totally comfortable being exactly who they are in the business. So I found that quite interesting and that’s been really good for me. You don’t have to tone yourself down or be wary of the fact that someone might be kind of judgemental of you.” 

“I think the Rainbow Tick is something all organisations need to strive towards because they need to instil that culture. It just feels like such a natural and normal piece for the business.” 

We know from the feedback that many skilled and valued employees have joined and stayed specifically thanks to our DEI policies and approach. That’s invaluable to our business. Recruitment and retention are costly – being welcoming, inclusive, supportive and progressive costs nothing and it matters. SCTI is not going back – instead it’s only going forward. There’s strength in diversity!