Aviva plc Corporate social responsibility report 2004 – a summary Aviva, as a member of the international business community, recognises its corporate social responsibility commitments in its various roles, which include insurer, investor, employer and consumer. Group corporate social responsibility policy We reflect these commitments Suppliers We recognise that our business in a family of eight policies, We regard suppliers as our partners activities have direct and indirect which relate to: and work with them to help us impacts on the societies in which we operate. We endeavour to manage Standards of business conduct achieve our policy aspirations in the delivery of our products and services. these in a responsible manner, We are committed to ensuring that believing that sound and our business is conducted in all Community demonstrable performance in relation respects according to rigorous ethical, We strive to be a good corporate to corporate social responsibility professional and legal standards. citizen around the world, recognising policies and practices is a fundamental part of business success. Customers our responsibility to work in partnership with the communities in We are committed to continuous We seek to provide our customers which we operate. with a service hallmarked by integrity, improvement in our corporate social quality and care. Environment responsibility programme and encourage our business partners to We are committed to a programme of Human rights strive for matching performance. management, continuous We respect the Universal Declaration improvement and reporting of our Our businesses throughout the world of Human Rights and seek to be direct and indirect impacts, which are committed to the achievement of guided by its provisions in the marks our contribution to improving our policy objectives. Our conduct of our business. the world in which we live. performance will be reviewed Workforce periodically and externally verified to help us meet our policy goals. We will We are guided by our aim to be the publish reports regularly. employer of choice in all countries in which we operate. Health and safety We are committed to providing a working environment which is both safe and fit for the intended purpose and ensures that health and safety issues are a priority for all business Approved by the board of Aviva operations. January 2002 The picture on the front cover, showing three members of staff, depicts CSR as our corporate DNA. Chairman’s introduction It is vital for a business to remain alert and responsive to the changes taking The Aviva board has a clear view of s introduction place around it. Its future depends ’ upon how well aligned it is to the the importance of corporate social society in which it operates. CSR is Chairman now firmly on the business agenda. responsibility (CSR) to the success 01 Legislation and regulation are often of the business. simply a reflection of the fact that plc Aviva society believes that mistakes are being made and need to be corrected. If a business simply tries to the right approach to ethics, if its At this stage, the linkage between hide away from the issues that driving motivation in all its dealings is CSR and corporate governance confront society, if it lies low and is to be honest and fair with all of its becomes quite clear. The strength- simply reactive, it deserves and must partners, then it is earning its licence ening of the Combined Code on fully expect to be occasionally to operate and it will thrive. If it Corporate Governance is simply a prodded into action by the stick of focuses its gaze only on the narrow response to address what is perceived legislation. spot of its own gain to the exclusion as being no longer appropriate of other considerations, it will rightly behaviour. If there is no abuse and if A responsible business is one which lose the trust of its partners. the governance of a company is keeps a clear eye on all external directed transparently by a sense of developments. It needs to lead or, at Whilst CSR covers many important fairness and ethics, there is no need least, participate in debating the issues such as relations with to restrain it. On the contrary, it will issues. It must develop its own values, customers and the wider community, win respect and trust. Aviva’s annual its own ethics, its own policies and all the environment and human rights, report for the year already reports on of these must live in the actions of its the core of CSR is ethical behaviour. If compliance with the new Code one workforce and not be merely empty a business is not directed by its own year in advance. words that live on paper alone. This is considered set of ethics and values, it the challenge which Aviva is now is simply adrift. The best means of The Aviva board and senior seeking to meet. embedding ethics and values in a management are thoroughly business is through example. committed to the application of the Like so many other human activities, Whatever example is set at the top of revised Aviva standards of business business is ultimately about relations an organisation will flow down conduct. They regard this as the with other people. If a business has through the structure. It is therefore centrepiece of the company’s CSR the job of the Aviva board and the policy, which is unreservedly senior management to ensure that supported and viewed as a major only good examples are set. contributor to our future profitability. Behaviour must be transparent and unambiguous. To re-inforce this clear commitment, I shall be attending this year’s CSR review group meeting in June, which Pehr Gyllenhammar Chairman will examine our strategy and progress and make plans for the future. Foreword by group chief In Ireland we have negotiated the In such matters, we follow the executive supply of electricity from renewable recommendations of the Managing sources to cover 40% of our needs. Change Report, produced for the We have also further expanded European Commission by a group led recycling facilities across the group by our own chairman, Pehr Our CSR programme has developed and introduced employee car-sharing Gyllenhammar. This report prescribes well during the past year, despite the schemes for commuting in the UK reporting guidelines in the areas of continuing financial pressures on our and Australia. workforce, human rights and health company and the industry generally. and safety in the management of In particular, CSR is becoming an Our CSR aspirations for products and structural change. integral part of our business thinking. services are illustrated by Hibernian’s We are closer to our ambition of contribution towards road safety in We have, for example, applied these having CSR as simply “the way we do Ireland. Hibernian extended its Ignition guidelines to the relocation of some things around here”. driver training scheme during 2003 to functions from the UK to India. We Foreword by group chief executive Foreword 02 allow less experienced motorcyclists to have taken great care to manage the As this report shows, a competitive take part and thereby benefit from continuing career interests of the UK market environment need not be a insurance premium discounts of 15%. staff involved through vigorous Aviva plc Aviva barrier to good practice. We are Car drivers who successfully complete redeployment efforts and by continued determined that our Aviva Values of the course are eligible for discounts of support for life-long learning. integrity, progressiveness, 20-50%. The programme is proving performance and teamwork be successful; some 16,500 drivers went In India we have taken equally great reflected in how we conduct our through the programme during the care to select business partners from business around the world. This in year and it has also received a Prince those with transparent policies on turn will help us earn and keep the Michael of Kent International Road recruitment, progression and trust of our customers, shareholders Safety Award. In line with our procurement and with a and other stakeholders. philosophy of spreading successful demonstrable track record in gender equality and a total absence of We believe that good practice in CSR practices across the group, similar religious discrimination. Our final is a vital part of achieving that trust. products are now offered in the UK decision rested on their contribution To that end, we now measure our and The Netherlands. to the local community, their performance at group level every year, We recognise that insurance and reputation as good corporate citizens using internal and external criteria. investment can be a complex and their environmental impact. Individual business units are also business. It is vital to provide clear introducing their own benchmarks to and transparent information about The primary reasons for structural help support their own development. our products and services so that change in a business must include improved service to customers. We Environmental issues continue to be a customers can make informed therefore monitor satisfaction levels cornerstone of our CSR programme. judgements about the best solutions very closely. We are pleased to report For example, in October 2003 we for their needs. In the UK, Norwich that, despite the relative newness of signed a two-year contract for the Union has invested significantly to our international call centres, our supply of renewables-sourced improve the quality and clarity of its monthly checks reveal excellent electricity, covering 86% of the marketing and product literature and progress. We will work to achieve yet Norwich Union Central Services to promote increased levels of further improvements. portfolio in the UK. This means that financial understanding. This open and honest approach will continue annual CO2 emissions will reduce by We believe that it is important to to have the highest priority in our some 69%, equivalent to 32,000 CO2 strive for common standards in all customer relations across the group.