Allyship in Asia

Pacific Life Re is represented within Asia through four offices located in Singapore, Korea, Japan and China, servicing our clients throughout the Asia region.

Pacific Life Re (Asia), following closely in the footsteps of Pacific Life Re (Division), is committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion.  We are receptive to the views of all our people and we truly believe in the importance of diverse experiences, styles and perspectives to drive positive results. All of our employees are actively encouraged to bring their most authentic selves to work. 

The Asian Landscape

Unlike the Western landscape of Pacific Life Re (Division), where LGBTQ+ issues are significantly progressive, the Asian landscape can be markedly different.

Residents in China, Japan, Korea and Singapore face legal and social challenges that are not experienced by non-LGBTQ+ residents. For example, unions through marriage or other forms of legal partnership are not available to same-sex couples and they are also not legally allowed to adopt children.

In China, the government branch that controls all regulations of health care services has yet to fully declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder; this has resulted in psychiatric facilities and psychiatry education textbooks across the country still considering homosexuality as a mental disorder and continuing to offer conversion therapy treatments.

Japan is considered relatively progressive by Asian standards and there has not historically been hostility towards homosexuality, however, a survey in 2020 found that 38% of LGBTQ+ respondents had faced harassment or assault. 

Anti-discrimination laws in South Korea have typically excluded protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

In Singapore, homosexuality remains criminalised and there is no anti-discrimination protection for the LGBTQ+ community.

However, attitudes towards members of the LGBTQ+ community in Asia are slowly changing and becoming more accepted and tolerated, especially among the younger population. Pride gatherings have taken place across all four countries with increasing awareness and acceptance, and efforts have been made to increase lobbying for anti-discrimination and equality.

Despite the restrictions in Asia, Pacific Life Re Asia has shown consistency in supporting its LGBTQ+ employees through its diversity and inclusion policy that disallows discrimination based on gender identity and sexuality, among other categories. For policies around leave, (e.g. bereavement), the policy caters to not only legal spouses but partners as well.  

The Pacific Life Re Asia Diversity & Inclusion Committee has championed the cause of spreading awareness and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community through on-the-ground initiatives. In 2020, the committee organised access to a virtual talk by Stonewall, to educate employees on the history of the LGBTQ+ movement and all its challenges. To drive home the notion of love being for everyone, the committee had rainbow stickers with that very message produced for all employees to wear like a badge of honour on their access cards, and show a display of solidarity through the accompanying rainbow virtual background. By showing allyship with the LGBTQ+ community in these small ways, we want to signal to our LGBTQ+ employees that we see and accept them wholeheartedly.