People
Embedding diversity
To integrate our diversity vision, we created an online ‘Respect Diversity’ toolkit that enables us to share best practice and benchmarking information across the group through training materials, interactive games, presentations and DVDs. Much of this information has since been included in Norwich Union’s ‘Respect’ intranet site for employees.
Our ‘Respect Diversity’ initiative and toolkit were recognised as best practice by the UK’s Equal Opportunities Commission and cited by the judges at the World Diversity Leadership Summit, hosted by the United Nations Global Compact, which honoured Aviva with a Global Innovation Award.
As part of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, Hibernian amended its Equality policy to include additional wording covering diversity and during Diversity Week, Aviva France demonstrated its commitment by signing a new Diversity Charter initiated by IMS–Entreprendre pour la Cité, an association of 180 businesses committed to social responsibility and partnership.
“Relying on teams that combine staff from different backgrounds, with diverse experiences and perspectives, represents a real competitive advantage.”
Myriam Saunier HR development manager, Aviva France
Best e-learning programme
Norwich Union Learning and Development topped the Best ELearning Programme category in the prestigious Training Journal Awards, with judges describing the ‘Putting Customers at the Heart of Everything we do’ programme as “an innovative e-learning programme that has produced tangible results”. The programme helped Norwich Union to deliver more than 182,000 hours of online training in 2007.
Social activities
At Hibernian, events designed to promote a healthy work–life balance included workshops on sleep, relaxation and energy levels, massages and a Bring Your Kids to Work at Halloween day, while Aviva Group Centre’s well-established social activities programme included self-defence, language and art classes, city walks and a Christmas pantomime. Aviva Lithuania also fosters an active lifestyle among employees and sales representatives, who compete in regular Olympics-style competitions. This year’s summer event, held in Poland, saw Lithuanian competitors and teams win 11 gold medals.