Our CR partners
Aviva believes in the value of building and maintaining long-standing partnerships with leading organisations committed to developing and shaping the CR agenda.
Some of our key partnerships include:
Business in the Community
We value Business in the Community (BITC) for its practical expertise in a number of fields of CR. We also appreciate having one of its most experienced employees on our CR review group.
BTCV
BTCV is the UK’s largest practical conservation charity, annually, some 130,000 volunteers are involved in projects to protect and enhance the rural and urban environment. Through our partnership with BTCV, not only is Aviva able to offer UK staff BTCV conservation holidays at no charge, but we are able to gain insights into social policy from one of the most practically engaged NGOs working in its field.
Carbon Disclosure Project
Aviva is a founding signatory to, and participant in, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) since its inception in 2000. We complete the CDP survey annually and publicly disclose the progress we have made on climate change issues. Aviva's asset management business, Aviva Investors, also uses the CDP survey as a tool to engage companies they invest in on issues of disclosure and performance improvement in this area.
ClimateWise
Aviva is a co-author and founding signatory of the ClimateWise principles for insurers. The ClimateWise principles are the first to encompass all aspects of insurance — General Insurance and Re-insurance, Insurance Brokers, Life Assurance and Asset Management areas. By the time of its launch on 13 September 2007, 38 companies from the insurance sector had signed up to it and will report on an annual basis on progress against the principles.
Consortium for Street Children
The Consortium for Street Children (CSC) is the leading international member-based network campaigning for the rights of street children globally. It works through local members in various countries, to reach and support street children. Aviva became a corporate partner of the CSC in November 2009, to support the launch of our international Street to School programme. We are working with the CSC to inform and inspire research and action that influences policy and advocates best practice for street children.
Corporate Responsibility Group
In January 2006, Aviva became a member of The Corporate Responsibility Group, a UK network to share and promote best practice in CSR.
Earthwatch Institute
Earthwatch engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Aviva’s relationship with Earthwatch allows us to support research activities as well as participate in the Corporate Environmental Responsibility Group, which promotes the exchange of best practice.
FORGE
Aviva has chaired the FORGE group of insurers and banks since 1998. It remains a valuable information exchange for group members on matters of best practice.
Not only has the group produced guidance on the management and reporting of, firstly, the environment and, secondly, CR, but it has also developed a robust process to identify key issues for the financial services sector, for the purposes of the mandatory enhanced business review section in company annual reports and accounts. FORGE has now begun work on its most recent project: climate change and what it means, strategically, for the financial services sector.
Global Compact
Aviva became a signatory to the Global Compact (GC) in August 2001. The GC, which is now the world’s biggest and best supported CR initiative offers 10 principles for signatory companies to follow, covering the environment, labour relations, human rights and anticorruption. Aviva is happy to subscribe to these. The principles are already reflected in our existing company policies on CR, people, environment and financial crime. Aviva is a member of the UK Network of the UN Global Compact.
International Business Leaders Forum
In November 2005, Aviva joined the International Business Leaders Forum, an international non-profit organisation set up in 1990 by HRH The Prince of Wales and a group of chief executives of international companies, in response to the emerging challenges of economic growth and change in the global economy. Its mission is to promote responsible business leadership and partnerships for social, economic and environmentally sustainable international development, particularly in new and emerging market economies.
Oxfam
Aviva is one of the first companies to join the Oxfam 365 Alliance, a new initiative developed by the international aid agency Oxfam GB, to fund its disaster relief operations.
Our funding will support the global rapid response team of aid workers and maintain the UK’s biggest warehouse of emergency supplies. This ensures that Oxfam is able to access funds and emergency supplies immediately in the vital first few days of an emergency and also when the situation is no longer in the media spotlight but suffering continues.
United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative
The United Nations Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) continues to be a key grouping for Aviva. UNEP FI is a global partnership between UNEP and the financial sector. Over 170 institutions including banks, insurers and fund managers, work with UNEP to understand the impacts of environmental and social considerations on financial performance. We are represented on its climate change and asset management groups and are helping to establish a new group on general insurance.