Allstate celebrates 20 years of business in Northern Ireland
Published: July 9, 2018
One of the province's biggest employers, Allstate Northern Ireland is marking its 20th anniversary in business.
Now with three offices across the country, Allstate Northern Ireland was founded in 1999 in support of its parent company, The Allstate Corporation — one of the largest publicly owned property and casualty insurance companies in the United States. In the years since, the technology company has been recognised for multiple awards for its high-quality software development and business solutions services.
The company now has over 2,400 employees based in offices in Belfast, the North West and Strabane. Thirty-eight of those employees celebrated twenty years of continuous service with a celebratory dinner in Belfast City Hall earlier this summer, attended by Suren Gupta, executive vice president, Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures.
Last year, the company further cemented its commitment to Northern Ireland, opening a new headquarters in Belfast, located between Belfast Central railway station and the River Lagan. The development included over 140,000 square feet of Grade A office space, extensive refurbishment of the towpath, adjacent boat marina and a restaurant unit at ground level.
Working through the post Belfast Agreement era, the company has been a significant player in the economy and instrumental in developing the local skills base. Additionally, Allstate is now in the process of developing new apprenticeships in Northern Ireland.
As well as providing collaborative working environments, Allstate Northern Ireland have placed investment in reskilling employees through Open University. Initiatives like these have been encouraged by John Healy, who as Allstate Northern Ireland's leader and President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, recognises the need to ensure the workforce has the latest skills which can drive innovation and ultimately boost the NI economy.
The importance of diversity in its workforce is celebrated by Allstate Northern Ireland. Inclusive diversity enhances the company's ability to attract, motivate and retain a diverse pool of high-performing employees necessary for continuing development and ensuring that Allstate Northern Ireland remains a key global player.
The company also understands the importance of giving back to local communities. One of these policies has been the creation of "Force for Good" committees in each of the offices, which awards all employees 15 hours to spend on volunteering opportunities of their choice.
John Healy, Managing Director and Vice President of Allstate NI said:
"At Allstate Northern Ireland, we are continuing to shape our culture to maximise innovation and entrepreneurship. Through our developing talent pool, strong leadership, diverse input and inclusive thinking, we bring value every day to the Allstate Corporation, harnessing and developing new ideas which propel our transformation strategy.
"Our experience in Northern Ireland allows us to play a major part in the Allstate transformation plan, which is focused on accelerating and building upon a successful strategy of innovation so that we can continue to stand apart, not just as an insurance company but as a broader protection company. The plan is expected to see transformation in operational processes and technology across the enterprise which will enable a significant leap to customer-centricity.
"We see the potential for Northern Ireland, a place where we have grown our workforce ten-fold and provided high quality jobs across Belfast and the North West.
"Our socially responsible policies are considered as a core component of our company's overall service and product offering. We are unlocking our intellectual assets and people power to achieve a positive impact through initiatives which are authentic, valued, and critical to business performance."
