The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They were set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and intended to be achieved by the year 2030. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
The aim of the podcast series is to highlight the relevance of the SDG’s to actuarial work, demonstrate where actuaries can contribute to achieving the SDG’s and showcase real life examples of people centring their work on the SDG’s across a range of actuarial practice areas.
Episode 1 - How can actuaries contribute to achieving the SDG's?
In this episode, Sustainability board member, Lucy Saye speaks to Dr Beate Degen and Past President Marjorie Ngwenya to discuss how the SDG’s interact with actuarial practice and the roles actuaries can play in achieving the SDG’s.
Intro & Production: Lucy Saye
Host: Lucy Saye
Guests: Marjorie Ngwenya & Beate Degen
Episode 2 - Biodiversity
In this episode, Chair of the Sustainability Board Nick Spencer speaks to Aled Jones (Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin) and Gillian Rutherford (Swiss Re) to discuss the impact of biodiversity on the insurance and finance industries.
Introduction: Melissa Leitner
Host: Nick Spencer
Guests: Gillian Rutherford & Aled Jones
Episode 3 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
In this episode, Sustainability Board member Lucy Saye speaks to Lisa Morgan from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) about SDG 8 decent work and economic growth and her work in the impact insurance team at the ILO.
Intro, Production & Host: Lucy Saye
Guest: Lisa Morgan
For more information about topics discussed in this episode please see the links below:
- https://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm
- http://www.impactinsurance.org
- https://www.unepfi.org/psi/
- https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/green-jobs/WCMS_213842/lang--en/index.htm
- Book recommendation: “Actuaries in Microinsurance: Managing Risk for the Underserved” Blacker J and Yang M, 2015
Episode 4 - Mental Health
In this episode, Melissa Leitner (Swiss Re, and Sustainability board volunteer) speaks to Sumit Misra (Bupa) and Kenneth McIvor (Willis Towers Watson) about how mental health is reflected in the SDGs, what the insurance industry is doing to better support people with mental health challenges, and the IFoA working party advancing this important work.
Intro & Production: Melissa Leitner
Host: Melissa Leitner
Guests: Sumit Misra & Kenneth McIvor
Episode 5 - Universal Ownership
In this episode Sustainability board member Lucy Saye speaks to Dr Ellen Quigley from the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University on the topic of Universal Ownership. We explore the relevance of Universal Ownership to actuarial practice and the achievement of the SDG’s, covering topics such as climate change, inequality, the Covid 19 pandemic and actions Universal Owners such as pension funds and Life insurers can take to mitigate systemic risks.
More information about Universal Ownership can be found in the following papers:
- Universal Ownership in the Anthropocene
- Universal Ownership in the Age of Covid-19: Social Norms, Feedback Loops, and the Double Hermeneutic
Episode 6 - Disaster Protection
This episode focuses on Disaster Protection with Daniel Clarke from the Centre for Disaster Protection (CDP). Shyam Gharial explores how Daniel’s work is linked to many of the SDGs, including climate change, inequality, decent work, partnership for goals, and how an actuarial skillset can be utilised in this area of work.
Daniel’s work aims to improve efficiencies in disaster risk financing. The CDP’s role in the Crisis Lookout Coalition is highlighted in their call for G7 leaders to better predict and prepare for crises, as well as to better protect people.This is a hugely topical theme given the Covid-19 pandemic and climate crisis.
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Events calendar
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The Growth Mindset for Actuaries
13 October 2021 - 8 December 2021This practical course is aimed at actuaries at any stage of their career who want to develop their own growth mindset and apply it to their work setting and personal or professional lifelong learning. The content of the course builds on the lecture given by Dr Helen Wright on Growth Mindset as part of the President’s 2021 Lecture series, and will be delivered over a period of 2 months, from mid-October to early December.
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What next for Mental Health in Insurance?
1 December 2021
Content will be aimed at all actuaries looking to understand the issues surrounding mental health in insurance and in particular those looking to ensure products and processes widen access for, and are most useful to, those experiencing periods of poor mental health.
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Pensions Winter Forum: Practical aspects of blending annuities and drawdown in retirement
1 December 2021
The IFoA Policy Briefing 'Can we help consumers avoid running out of money in retirement' examined the benefits of blending a lifetime annuity with income drawdown. Panellists, including providers and advisers, will look at the market practicalities of taking the actuarial theory through into the core advice propositions used by IFAs and Fund Managers. They will share a number of practical issues such as investment consequences before and after retirement and the level of annuity that is appropriate and answer questions from the audience. -
Speech from the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey
Lincoln's Inn The Treasury Office, London WC2A 3TL1 December 2021
The IFoA is pleased to be hosting the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, to deliver a speech on delivering policyholder protection in insurance regulation. The speech will be presented to an in-person audience, and simultaneously live-streamed. If you would like to watch the event online please visit the event page to book your place.
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The Many Faces of Bias
2 December 2021
This webinar looks at the many types of biases, both conscious and unconscious and the impacts they can have in the workplace. Raising our own awareness and understanding of the issues can help us avoid the pitfalls of unconscious bias in particular. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘office banter’ but are we sure that’s how those on the receiving end perceive it and is it ok to go along with it? -
Actuaries need to take action now - but how? With a focus on climate change, this session will provide informed insight to enable you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the issues involved, demonstrate how it will impact advice to your clients, and highlight prospective opportunities for actuaries within pensions and wider fields. -
Pensions Winter Forum: Pension Scams
8 December 2021
Pension scams have become more prevalent as a result of the pandemic, and Trustees have increased responsibilities to protect members, which means that actuaries need to be in a position to provide advice in this area. Our specialist panel will include a professional trustee, an IFA and head administrator, two of whom are members of PASA. -
Sessional Meeting: Allowing for shocks in portfolio mortality models
15 December 2021The Covid-19 pandemic creates a challenge for actuaries analysing experience data that includes mortality shocks. To address this we present a methodology for modelling portfolio mortality data that offers local flexibility in the time dimension. The approach permits the identification of seasonal variation, mortality shocks, and late-reported deaths. The methodology also allows actuaries to measure portfolio-specific mortality improvements. Results are given for a mature annuity portfolio in the UK
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The Brian Hey Prize 2021 - LocalGLMnet: interpretable deep learning for tabular data
15 December 2021In this webinar, the authors of the 2021 Brian Hey prize winning paper present a new deep learning model called the LocalGLMnet. While deep learning models lead to very competitive regression models, often outperforming classical statistical models such as generalized linear models, the disadvantage is that deep learning solutions are difficult to interpret and explain, and variable selection is not easily possible.
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The dominant underwriting approach is a mix between rule-based engines and traditional underwriting. Applications are first assessed by automated rule-based engines which typically are capable of processing only simple applications. The remaining applications are reviewed by underwriters or referred to the reinsurers. This research aims to construct predictive machine learning models for complicated applications that cannot be processed by rule-based engines.
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Pensions Winter Forum: How to win the pensions endgame
19 January 2022
With the Pension Schemes Act 2021 requiring a long term strategy from Trustees and sponsors, choosing a pensions endgame strategy has become even more critical. However, it is important that the endgame options available are adequately assessed before choosing one. With an ever-increasing array of creative and innovative options available, this decision may not be straightforward.
Content will be aimed at all actuaries looking to understand the issues surrounding mental health in insurance and in particular those looking to ensure products and processes widen access for, and are most useful to, those experiencing periods of poor mental health.
The IFoA Policy Briefing 'Can we help consumers avoid running out of money in retirement' examined the benefits of blending a lifetime annuity with income drawdown. Panellists, including providers and advisers, will look at the market practicalities of taking the actuarial theory through into the core advice propositions used by IFAs and Fund Managers. They will share a number of practical issues such as investment consequences before and after retirement and the level of annuity that is appropriate and answer questions from the audience.
This webinar looks at the many types of biases, both conscious and unconscious and the impacts they can have in the workplace. Raising our own awareness and understanding of the issues can help us avoid the pitfalls of unconscious bias in particular. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘office banter’ but are we sure that’s how those on the receiving end perceive it and is it ok to go along with it?
Actuaries need to take action now - but how? With a focus on climate change, this session will provide informed insight to enable you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the issues involved, demonstrate how it will impact advice to your clients, and highlight prospective opportunities for actuaries within pensions and wider fields.
Pension scams have become more prevalent as a result of the pandemic, and Trustees have increased responsibilities to protect members, which means that actuaries need to be in a position to provide advice in this area. Our specialist panel will include a professional trustee, an IFA and head administrator, two of whom are members of PASA.
With the Pension Schemes Act 2021 requiring a long term strategy from Trustees and sponsors, choosing a pensions endgame strategy has become even more critical. However, it is important that the endgame options available are adequately assessed before choosing one. With an ever-increasing array of creative and innovative options available, this decision may not be straightforward.