This recognises the benefits of seeing increasing diversity at Board level as an essential element in maintaining a competitive advantage, bringing a range of perspectives and insights to challenge management and support good decision making.
It makes great business sense, not least because it means that, as a growing international health insurance and healthcare company, Bupa is better able to understand and meet customer and wider stakeholder needs, whilst ensuring the organisation reflects the geographies we serve.
A culture of inclusion and diversity is cultivated through clear tone from the top, with the Board and Executive committee championing inclusion and diversity in support of Bupa's values.
Diversity in Bupa embraces knowledge and understanding of relevant diverse geographies, peoples and their backgrounds and includes race, social, educational and professional background, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion and age, as well as culture, personality, work-style and cognitive and personal strengths.
All appointments to the Board are made on merit, reflecting the skills, knowledge and experience needed to ensure a rounded and effective Board.
Bupa's Board is focused upon increasing Board diversity without compromising on the calibre of directors. Within this context the Board aspires to having an appropriate proportion of directors who have direct experience of some of Bupa's key markets with different ethnic or social backgrounds and who may be non-UK nationals, of any gender, reflecting Bupa's wide business base.
This policy was updated and adopted by the Board on 9 December 2020.