At the Porte de Saint-Ouen exit on the périphérique, the orbital motorway around Paris, the word “Aviva” stands out in yellow on a multi-sided hoarding advertising Ovalie.
At the Porte de Saint-Ouen exit on the périphérique, the orbital motorway around Paris, the word “Aviva” stands out in yellow on a multi-sided hoarding advertising Ovalie. A building which, when completed, will contain 14,000m² of office space and act as the new business centre for the town of Saint-Ouen. Work on the building will be completed in 2012.
The result of a joint venture between Aviva Investors Real Estate and property developer Capital & Continental, Ovalie owes its name to its geometric shape. This HQE, or High Environmental Quality, building will be awarded special certification for energy-efficient buildings, as it will be 50% more efficient than the regulatory minimum.
For long-term investor Aviva, advocating sustainable development comes naturally. For the past decade, Aviva has been working on a corporate social responsibility policy which represents the cornerstone of its strategy.
This policy is reflected in the various initiatives taken by the company, such as the Ovalie project or the current project being developed by Aviva Investors Real Estate France at La Défense: the Carpe Diem Tower, unveiled as part of the La Défense regeneration scheme, will be the first high-rise building in France to have both HQE and LEED GOLD environmental certification.
Jean-Pierre Menanteau, Aviva France CEO, said that he was "delighted that Aviva has once again demonstrated its expertise in real estate and the depth of its commitment to sustainable development. Welcome to Ovalie".
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Press officers:
Karim Mokrane (Aviva)
Telephone: +33 (0)1 76 62 76 85
E-mail: karim_mokrane@aviva.fr
Valérie Dudoit (HDL Communication)
+33 (0)1 58 65 20 16
E-mail: vdudoit@hdlcom.com
Notes to editors:
About Aviva
Aviva is the world’s fifth-largest insurance group*, with more than 53 million customers across Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. Aviva’s principal business activities are: life insurance and long-term savings, fund management and general insurance.
As at 31 December 2009, Aviva had a total turnover of €51.3 billion, with €426 billion of assets under management. Aviva is the largest insurer in the United Kingdom and one of the leading providers of life insurance and pension products in Europe.
The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media contains images and all the press releases and product information for the Aviva Group.
Videos are available at www.aviva.com/media/b-roll-library/.
You can follow Aviva on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/avivaplc.
With more than 180 years’ experience in France, Aviva is among the top ten players in the insurance market. Aviva France has a solid and profitable multi-distribution model based on a comprehensive range of products, mainly intended for consumers and SMEs. Some 900 insurance agents, 1,800 branch staff, 400 life insurance advisers, almost 900 wealth management advisers (Union Financière de France) and more than 1,000 active partner brokers are on hand to serve three million customers every day.
Aviva has developed unique expertise in building effective partnerships for the benefit of its clients, particularly with AFER, the largest savings association in France, and the Crédit du Nord, Société Générale and Ford groups. Specialising in unit-linked products, Aviva is recognised for the excellent performance of its long-term funds, the quality and innovation of its products, and solid commitment to its customers through its Good Advice approach.
Aviva France is a socially responsible company and has developed initiatives that include reducing and neutralising its CO2 emissions, supporting more than 250 projects to help children and the elderly through the Aviva Foundation, and implementing an acclaimed diversity policy.
The Aviva Group directly employs more than 4,700 staff in France.
As at 31 December 2009, Aviva France reported consolidated sales of €6.7 billion and an IFRS-based net profit of €390 million. The company had €77.4 billion of assets under management as at 31 December 2009.
*Based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2008.