At Aviva we believe in diversity. Good governance and strong, responsible, balanced leadership by the board is critical to creating long term shareholder value and business success.
At Aviva we believe in diversity. Good governance and strong, responsible, balanced leadership by the board is critical to creating long term shareholder value and business success. Diversity brings a boarder, more rounded perspective to decision-making and risk management. It makes the board more effective. We support the aims of Lord Davies’ report “Women on Boards,” and are taking measures to meet his recommendations.
- We are committed to achieving a balanced leadership, supporting women in Aviva to reach their full potential. Aviva’s three female directors make up 23% of the board. In line with the Lord Davies’ report, it is Aviva’s intention to maintain a minimum of 25% female representation on the board by 2013.
- At the moment 21% of senior executives at Aviva are female. We intend to increase this number as we recognise that for more women to reach board level we need more women throughout the higher levels of the organisation, creating a stronger talent pipeline.
- We actively encourage senior female employees to take on non-executive director roles and are considering the development opportunities that could be realised by appointing senior female employees to the boards of Aviva subsidiary companies.
- Our diversity programme promotes a fair and respectful culture in which differences are valued. Our policy and practices are aligned with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation's core labour standards. We have signed up to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles. The Aviva Women's Network is firmly established and we are continually building on this with endorsement from the Aviva board.
- We have deployed senior leaders, and female non executive directors as role models that support balanced leadership. One example is a mentoring scheme through which members of Aviva’s executive team are being mentored by potential future female leaders.
- We are raising awareness of, and building engagement around, the principles of balanced leadership and are using technology to hold group wide conversations on the subject of balanced leadership.
- We have hardwired balanced leadership into our HR practices and processes and have embedded the diversity agenda into regional HR strategies. We have created a global diversity and inclusion working group.
- We are supporting the creation of a talent pipeline. Aviva is sponsoring the Young Ambassador Programme bringing together 100 school sixth formers and 100 senior women ambassadors from across the UK into mentoring and networking relationships. Through our Aviva Investors business we are supporting the 100 Women in Hedge Funds events. We are also joining up with corporate partners on women’s networking and developmental events such as International Women’s Day.
We are proud of the progress that we have made. We know, however, that this is only the beginning and we have a lot further to go. Diversity makes common sense, and it makes business sense.
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If you are a journalist and would like further information about balanced leadership at Aviva, please contact:
Aviva Press Office:
Francesca Peschier
+44 (0)207 6628057 / +44 (0)7800 694195
francesca.peschier@aviva.com
Notes to editors:
About Aviva
- Aviva is the world’s sixth largest* insurance group. We provide more than 53 million customers with insurance, savings and investment products with total worldwide sales in 2010 of £47.1 billion**.
- We are the UK’s largest insurer with 19 million customers and one in three households has a relationship with us. Our combination of life, health and general insurance is unique in its scale and breadth in the UK market. Customers can choose to buy our products through intermediaries, our corporate partners or from Aviva direct and we have become the partner of choice for many of the UK’s biggest organisations.
- The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes company information and a news release archive.
- For broadcast-standard video, please visit www.aviva.com/media/b-roll-library/
- Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/avivaplc
* based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2010.
** at 31 December 2010.