As a business, we firmly believe we get the best results from people who are encouraged to achieve their full potential and who feel their abilities and talents are recognised. In 2006 we employed 59,000 people in 22 countries and in our employee survey, 65% of them told us that “my business unit is a great place to work”.

We believe that employing a diverse workforce who reflect our diverse customer base will help us truly understand and respond to evolving customer needs. In 2006 our global diversity steering group oversaw the implementation of a “respect” campaign, which promotes best practice in diversity. The campaign includes a number of initiatives aimed at attracting, motivating and retaining a diverse workforce.

One of our key successes in supporting diversity in 2006 was the creation of network groups for staff. Networks help to value and respect differences and are a positive channel for influencing company direction on key diversity issues in the workplace. Aviva is proud to have sponsored gender-based networks – the Senior Women’s Global Network and the London Women’s Network. By establishing women’s networks in Aviva we aim to attract, retain and advance talented women and promote a totally inclusive workforce.

We also launched Pride Aviva, which is a UK employee network for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

Following the success of these networks, we have plans in place to develop more networks in 2007, when we particularly want to use them to promote multicultural understanding. 

We have successfully embedded diversity principles in recruitment. Initiatives in 2006 included training recruiters in diversity and outreach advertising, to make sure that we advertise in the right places to reach the broadest range of potential candidates. We now, for example, advertise on websites popular with women and are enhancing our visibility through diversity specific recruitment fairs and publications.

Work on age-related issues was another area of achievement in 2006. The human resources functions worked closely together to ensure we are following best practice in our response to age legislation. We also created learning tools for managers and senior executives to help them understand better the impact of age legislation and how they should adjust their behaviours and attitudes to age-related issues at work.