Swiss Re Celebrates International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia With 'Ek Madhav Baug'

BENGALURU, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Mona Ambegaonkar promotes Together with Pride, an initiative at Swiss Re to globalise LGBTI+ inclusion and promote diversity 

On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, Mona Ambegaonkar, a social activist and an actor, was here in the city to address the employees of Swiss Re through a serious play 'Ek Madhav Baug' dealing with the difficulties faced by homosexual community in the society. She has been part of The Humsafar Trust, Mumbai for past ten years and has done countless shows across the country of the play.

Highlighting the insensitivity in the society, Mona said, "Ek Madhav Baug has been a journey of evolution for me and also for the many people who have watched it over the years. It has taught me the true meaning of inclusion and pride. Often we assume that people are as informed and as liberal as we think we are, but I have found that both those assumptions must be challenged regularly.

"Sharing stories of diversity and the vast spectrum that makes up our society is essential. It is important to point out, again and again, that we are all emotional, caring, prejudiced, flawed human beings and what sets us apart from each other is also what makes us alike."  

'Ek Madhav Baug' is a play within a play, a unique theatrical device where a mother narrates how she came to terms with her son's sexuality, and also comes out of her character at intervals to speak to the writer. The story espouses equality and assertion of identity with pride while implying the need for social acceptance. Seated on a chair with a laptop on a table and a pair of spectacles, Mona shuffles between dialogues of mother Vaijanti and her son Deep. 

Swiss Re is committed to providing a truly inclusive work environment for LGBTI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex +) employees. The company is a signatory to the United Nation's Free & Equal Standards of Conduct to tackle discrimination against LGBTI+ people. Swiss Re has opened local chapters of the affinity network in Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and Slovakia, which now comprises over 1000 allies and LGBTI+ employees. At Swiss Re Bangalore, the LGBTI+ program was launched last year in May, and since then gathered significant momentum with the ally community becoming close to 100 members.

Speaking on the LGBTI+ focused initiative as an integral part of Swiss Re Bangalore's Diversity and Inclusion policy, Amit Kalra - MD & Head of the Global Business Solutions Centre Bangalore, said: "As a growing location, we at Swiss Re's Bangalore office are committed to creating an environment where everyone can bring their true selves to work, especially our LGBTI+ colleagues. A commitment to inclusiveness is fundamental for our organisational performance and for reaching the goals set out in our People Strategy.

"Diversity is rooted in the very nature of our reinsurance business, which needs to harness the benefits of a diversified portfolio of risks spread across the world. We appreciate the ever-changing working preferences of different cultures, generations and personalities. We at Swiss Re celebrate diversity." 

About Swiss Re:  

The Swiss Re Group is one of the world's leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk - from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cybercrime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 80 offices globally. It is organized into three Business Units, each with a distinct strategy and set of objectives contributing to the Group's overall mission.

About Swiss Re Bangalore:  

Swiss Re Global Business Solutions Centre Bangalore is an analytical and innovation hub of Swiss Re and comprises 1100+ employees. It is helping accelerate the company's competitiveness across markets through R&D-focused initiatives, innovation and analytics, which is especially relevant in today's dynamic business environment with technology-spurred disruptions.

Established in 2001, Swiss Re Bangalore has traversed a remarkable journey of growth, acquiring deep capabilities to become a Business Solutions Centre, the third largest office of Swiss Re today, and poised to establish itself as a Centre of Excellence.

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