Allianz UK has joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative, a move that extends the insurer’s efforts to support individuals with non-visible disabilities across both its workforce and customer base.
The Sunflower symbol is used globally to indicate that someone has a non-visible disability and may require additional assistance, patience or support. By adopting the scheme, Allianz aims to enhance its approach to accessibility and inclusion in its service delivery, including in areas such as claims handling and customer engagement.
The initiative may be particularly relevant for customers navigating complex insurance processes, where hidden disabilities can affect communication or understanding. Allianz’s participation in the Sunflower scheme is intended to make insurance interactions more accommodating for those individuals.
To mark the launch of its membership, Allianz hosted a panel event in London focused on how non-visible disabilities affect colleagues and customers. The discussion also explored how the organisation can build greater understanding and improve its internal practices.
Panellists included Serge Raffard, managing director of personal lines; Alison Rayner, chief compliance and corporate affairs officer; Paul White, CEO of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower; Jon Reynolds, senior business analyst and member of the Allianz Ability Network; and Funmi Oredein, broker agency controller at Allianz Personal.
Raffard, who also serves as executive committee ally for the company’s Ability Employee Network, said the decision to adopt the Sunflower programme reflects a focus on ensuring people with both visible and non-visible disabilities are supported. He added that the initiative was introduced through the Ability Employee Network as part of broader inclusion efforts.
As part of its rollout, Allianz has introduced training sessions led by the Sunflower team to help employees recognise the symbol and understand how to respond appropriately. The insurer has also provided access to the programme’s resources to support ongoing learning across the business.
