Direct Line news

Direct Line Group reports its gender and ethnicity pay gap

Direct Line Group has reported that as of April 2021, its median gender pay gap narrowed on the previous year by 1.2%, to 14.2%. The Group also chose to voluntarily publish its ethnicity pay gap for the first time this year to further inform diversity and inclusion initiatives across the business, reporting a median ethnicity pay gap of 7.9%.

Some of the additional initiatives Direct Line Group took in 2021 to improve the representation of women and ethnic minorities were:

  • introducing new inclusive hiring principles and training for those making recruitment decisions
  • strengthening focus on succession planning and investing in high potential talent
  • launched a reverse mentoring scheme with widespread senior leadership participation.

Penny James, Chief Executive of Direct Line Group said:

“We have made good progress this year where we are learning all the time about what initiatives are making a real impact. Being clear about the data and understanding what works is supporting our ambition to narrow the gap further over the long-term.

Publishing our ethnicity pay gap voluntarily for the first time is another sign of how we are aiming to improve because there is always more we can do to ensure that we reflect the society we live in and the customers we serve.

Across 2022 we will be pushing to achieve our existing targets, frankly assessing what has worked and what hasn’t in order to define our future ambitions and set new targets to hold ourselves publicly to account.”

Read the full report here 

For further information please contact:

Nicole Boahene Asomah

Corporate Communications Executive

Mobile: 073 8548 0684

Email: nicole.boahene-asomah@directlinegroup.co.uk

Direct Line Insurance Group plc

Direct Line Group (DLG) is one of the UK’s leading insurance companies. The Group’s vision is to create a world where insurance is personal, inclusive and a force for good. Through its well-known brands which include Direct Line, Churchill, Privilege, Darwin, NIG, Direct Line for Business and Green Flag, DLG helps people to carry on with their lives, giving them peace of mind now and in the future. Its brands offer a wide range of general insurance products across motor, home, commercial, travel, pet and rescue, both direct to customers and through price comparison websites and it underwrites insurance products distributed by its third-party partners. The Group believes that by embracing sustainable practices it creates a better corporate culture able to provide more reliable products and bring long-term rewards for its customers, people and shareholders.

Notes to editors:

  • We are the UK's only diversified insurer and we operate in the UK, Ireland and Canada. We also have international investments in India and China.
  • We help our 25.3 million customers make the most out of life, plan for the future, and have the confidence that if things go wrong we’ll be there to put it right.
  • We have been taking care of people for more than 325 years, in line with our purpose of being ‘with you today, for a better tomorrow’. In 2025, we paid £31.9 billion in claims and benefits to our customers.
  • Aviva is a Living Wage, Living Pension and Living Hours employer and provides market-leading benefits for our people, including flexible working, paid carers leave and equal parental leave. Find out more at www.aviva.com/about-us/our-people/
  • As at 30 June 2026, total Group assets under management at Aviva Group were £479 billion and our estimated Solvency II shareholder capital surplus was £6.8 billion. Our shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and we are a member of the FTSE 100 index.
  • For more details on what we do, our business and how we help our customers, visit www.aviva.com/about-us
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