Aviva plc is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has around 31 million customers across 16 countries. In the UK Aviva is the largest general insurer and a leading life and pensions provider. In addition, Aviva has a focus on five markets in Europe and, in Asia, the company is focused on the growth markets of China and South East Asia. Aviva is also the second largest general insurer in Canada.
Aviva has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
Launched in 2009, the Aviva Community Fund has now provided over $4.5 million to 91 projects and ideas across Canada. In the competition’s first four years, Canadians proposed more than 8,000 ideas and cast more than 7 million votes in support of good causes.
Aviva Community Fund : Aviva Serves Nonprofit Organization
Prize winners from the 2013 Fund include:
- WesforYouthOnline.ca, which won the At-Risk Youth grand prize for an amount of $130,000. The website provides free and confidential online counselling services focused on helping improve mental health among youth. The website was started by the parents of Wes Cameron, after he took his own life.
- Souris Playground for ALL in Souris, Prince Edward Island, which won $135,000. Funding will provide a diverse outdoor play space with a variety of features to allow for universal access to children and adults of all abilities.
Recent prize winners from the 2012 Fund include:
- The Riehl Skate Park in Pelham, Ontario, which received $115,000. The submission for a safe place to skate was made by high school student and community leader Mariah Bunz in remembrance of Isaac Riehl, a local teenager who died in a skateboarding accident.
- The Undercurrent Youth Centre in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, which won $130,000 for new facilities. These included a music room, sound and lighting system, games room, movie screen, and an outdoor basketball and skate area.
Grief Encounter
Anyone covered by an Aviva life insurance policy can access support from Grief Encounter, a charity that helps children cope with the loss of a loved one.
Aviva has teamed up with the bereavement specialists to produce a video helping to raise awareness of the true cost of being financially under-protected. The film shows Aviva’s head of protection sales and marketing, Louise Colley, in conversation with Grief Encounter founder Shelley Gilbert.
In the UK, only 36% of families have life assurance. Shelley believes this can lead to huge issues for the family, especially children, who risk becoming what she calls ‘the forgotten mourners’. If a parent dies, she explains, the surviving parent often becomes consumed with financial worries and the emotional needs of their children can be pushed to one side. Taking our family protection can help guard against this.
Parliamentary Interns
Aviva supports a UK scheme that provides paid internship positions in Parliament for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Speaker’s Parliamentary Placements scheme was established by three Members of Parliament from different political parties: Hazel Blears, Eric Ollerenshaw and Jo Swinson. It is funded by external donors and Aviva made a significant financial contribution when the scheme was launched in 2011.
We’re proud to support the scheme, as it is designed to make Parliament more representative and help the interns fulfil their potential. It offers work experience in Parliament to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity, giving people from ordinary backgrounds a chance to enter politics.
Helping LILT’s Fight Against Cancer
Aviva in Italy promotes preventive medicine among its employees. And together with LILT, an Italian association that fights against cancer, the company organised a week of prevention activities in 2013.
During the week, oncologists, dermatologists and otolaryngologists visited the Aviva Italy premises, and all employees could book appointments for skin tests and oral examinations. This enabled them to look for the early signs of skin and mouth cancers; early diagnosis usually leads to a more positive outcome.
