At Aviva, we find new ways to deliver more fulfilling futures to our customers, and all our stakeholders. Forward thinking has been our business for 300 years. Today, it expresses our dedication to thinking beyond the immediate and the everyday, to building better tomorrows.
Forward thinking is at the heart of our business. It guides our daily actions, encourages us to look past what limits us now, and determines the steps that will carry us beyond those limits, tomorrow.
Within this report, you will find examples of forward thinking in action. Around the world, Aviva is a market leader in developing innovative new products and services as we seek to anticipate what people need and provide solutions.
Our vision of the future extends to recognising our responsibilities to society. We know that we must limit our impact on the environment in which we operate, for the benefit of future generations.
Richard Harvey
Group chief executive
Dee Caffari, supported by Aviva, is the first woman in history to sail single-handed, non-stop, around the world against the prevailing winds and currents.
Not content with one extraordinary record, she now plans to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world in both directions by competing in the gruelling 2008-09 Vendée Globe.
The inspiration and willpower that Dee embodied in completing the Aviva Challenge in May 2006 – an epic, 178-day journey the “wrong way” around the world – was a masterclass in skill, guts and determination.
She said: “When I was sailing against the winds deep in the Southern Ocean, when the storms seemed endless and the horrific conditions forced me into survival mode, I moved my goalposts closer and focused on getting to the next step, so I constantly felt I was making progress towards the finish line.
“Aviva’s support helped me to discover and define my own future in life, and helped me do my own forward thinking. Aviva is a company that helps you take control of your own destiny.”
Aviva is proud of its continuing partnership with Dee. She is determined to push back the boundaries of her sport and inspires others to do the same in their own lives. Her sustained focus on the future and looking ahead to fresh challenges epitomises our “Forward thinking” campaign.
See other examples of forward thinking in action
You can find out more about Dee Caffari’s challenges at www.avivaoceanracing.com