Aviva 2006 Annual Report Download - page 90

Aviva plc
Annual Report and Accounts 2006 86
Corporate social responsibility committee report
This report provides details of the role of the Corporate Social
Responsibility Committee and the work it has undertaken during
the year.
The Committee was established by the Board in January 2006 and
held its first meeting in June 2006. The purpose of the Committee
is to provide guidance and direction to the Group’s corporate social
responsibility (CSR) programme, review the risks and opportunities
relating to the eight individual elements in the programme (namely;
standards of business conduct, environment, human rights, health
and safety, community, customers, suppliers and workforce) and to
monitor progress. The full terms of reference for the Committee are
available from the Group Company Secretary and can be found on
the Company’s website www.aviva.com.
The following directors served on the Committee during the year:
Period
Member From To
Wim Dik (Chairman) 14 January 2006 To date
Guillermo de la Dehesa 14 January 2006 Todate
RichardHarvey 14 January 2006 To date
Carole Piwnica 14 January 2006 To date
Lord Sharman 14 January 2006 To date
Derek Stevens 14 January 2006 31 December 2006
The Committee met on three occasions in 2006 and the members’
attendance record is set out in the Corporate governance report.
The Group Company Secretary acts as the secretary to the
Committee.
During the year the Committee met to consider the conclusions of
the Group’s CSR Annual Conference that took place in June 2006,
and which was addressed by both the Chairman of the Board and
the Chairman of the Committee. The Committee reviewed the
proposed content and scope of the Company’s 2007 CSR Report,
monitored the management of the CSR risks affecting the Group
and helped establish a process by which CSR related targets
and objectives within the Group’s individual businesses are set
and monitored.
The Committee considered a report from the Norwich Union
business that explained how it was handling the social issues arising
from a major cost and efficiency review in that business announced
in September 2006, which would result in a significant reduction in
its UK workforce.
During the Board’s visit to the Group’s Indian operations in
September 2006, the Committee held a meeting with the senior
managers responsible for CSR in the Group’s life assurance business
(Aviva India) and its offshoring operations (Aviva Global Services)
in order to gain a deeper understanding of the relevant local issues
and assess how CSR was being embedded in those businesses.
In line with the Combined Code requirement the Boardundertook
areview of the effectiveness of all its committees during the year,
including the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.
This report was reviewed and approved by the Board on
28 February 2007.
Wim Dik
Chairman, Corporate Social Responsibility Committee
Governance continued