Plenary meeting June 2021
05.07.2021
This plenary session of the AXA EWC was preceded by a training session for all the members on resilience, organised by the Group.
After the training, Hedi ben Sedrine, secretary of the EWC, and Koen Hermans, head of Group Social Relations, opened the first plenary session of 2021, around the AXA Group CEO Thomas Buberl.
Review of the last 6 months of the EWC
Information on the group's transnational projects, to which the members of the secretariat were able to react, training courses, exchanges with European structures outside the group : Patricia Nunez, deputy secretary of the EWC, and Elodie Batout-Badaire, deputy head of social relations of the group, presented the EWC representatives with an overview of the EWC's work over the last six months.
Speech by the CEO of AXA: Thomas Buberl
The CEO of AXA, who is also the chairman of the EWC, took the floor to review the last six months of the group, underlining its solidity and the employees' one, who have been able to cope with the health crisis. He also mentioned the changes in the group's governance (AXA France, INM, etc.). Thomas Buberl also paid a personal tribute to Stratos Kefalas, Greek representative on the EWC, who is leaving the body following the sale of AXA in Greece.
Finally, Thomas Buberl announced the group's unilateral decision to maintain the British delegation within the AXA EWC for an unlimited period. The employees in the United Kingdom will therefore continue, despite the Brexit, to benefit from the prerogatives, rights and protections of the June 29, 2009 agreement on the EWC.
Hedi ben Sedrine, secretary of the EWC, underlined the quality of the local dialogue and specified that the subjects were well supported by the representatives.
Thomas Buberl then took part in the most important part of the plenary session, and the one that was most expected: the questions and answers session. More than an hour was devoted to a frank and direct exchange between the European representatives and the CEO of the group.
Presentation of the AXA Group's risk management strategy and challenges
Renaud Guidée, group's risk manager, then presented the strategy in terms of risk management, whose long-term management ensures the group's long-term performance.
With regard to climate risks, it is interesting to note that the group has moved from a strategy of exclusion to one of support for clients, in order to help companies make the ecological transition.
Presentation of AXA's Sustainable Development Strategy and the AXA Progress Index
Céline Soubranne (Group Corporate Responsibility Director), then presented a new index, created by the Group, to measure its performance as a responsible company in the ESG dimension (environmental, social and governance criteria). These 3 criteria (investment, green insurance, employee training) will soon be used as part of the variable benefit of AXA's executives as extra-financial criteria. In addition, AXA has taken the lead in the Net Zero Insurance Alliance, an initiative on new underwriting policies, new products and investments in industries that respond to new climate challenges.
To conclude, Hedi ben Sedrine, Secretary of the EWC, informed the members that two British members of the EWC, Angela Doyle, also a member of the Secretariat, and James Crawford, were leaving.
Find below the meeting notes as well as the Q&A with the Chairman:
