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May 19, 2022
To mark its 150th anniversary in 2025, AXA is helping to enhance around two million square meters of land in Switzerland with biodiversity: one square meter for each of its customers. The initiative is called "Flora Futura" and is a key part of the company's new climate strategy.
Experts agree that enhancing and expanding biodiversity areas is an important means of counteracting climate change. Functioning biodiversity secures our livelihoods in the long term and has a positive effect on our climate. This is why AXA is taking action: on the occasion of its 150th anniversary in 2025, it is helping to enhance around two million square meters of biodiversity in Switzerland in the coming years: one square meter for each of its customers. The initiative is part of the company's new climate strategy and is called "Flora Futura".
With its social commitment Flora Futura, AXA Switzerland wants to create additional biodiversity area in Switzerland in times of climate change and thus contribute to people's quality of life. "Both as people and as a company, we are directly affected by advancing climate change – for example, in terms of health during heatwaves or when more frequent severe weather events lead to damage," says Fabrizio Petrillo, CEO of AXA Switzerland. "That's why AXA's Flora Futura program not only makes a concrete contribution to flora and fauna, but also raises public awareness of the importance of biodiversity."
To this end, AXA is working together with experts in the field of biodiversity. For example, it is entering into a partnership with Mission B and collaborating with the environmental agency oekoskop. Mission B and its sponsor, the Festival of Nature Association, form a platform for biodiversity-related activities in Switzerland. It is supported by a broad network, including the federal government, the cantons, and various national environmental organizations. As part of the partnership, Mission B will document the areas enhanced by AXA in detail on its website missionb.ch and make them accessible to the public. The environmental agency oekoskop is responsible for evaluating and implementing individual biodiversity projects, as well as for quality assurance, on behalf of AXA.
The projects supported by AXA as part of the Flora Futura initiative range from planting tall-growing trees and maintaining chestnut groves to de-bushing areas using migratory goats, rewilding amphibian ponds, and upgrading roadside greenery, to name just a few examples. Projects in all parts of Switzerland are taken into consideration.
As part of AXA's corporate strategy, the Flora Futura initiative sets an important accent in the company's new climate strategy. "AXA has the ambition to position itself as a pioneer among Swiss insurance companies in climate protection going forward," says Daniela Fischer, Head of Human Responsibility at AXA Switzerland. AXA's climate strategy is focused in particular on further reducing CO2 emissions and adapting to climate change. AXA wants to achieve these goals in its role as an insurer, investor, and company as well as part of society. As an insurer, for example, this means that AXA will repair defective parts wherever possible when it receives a claim instead of replacing them and will increasingly offer its customers climate-friendly products and services. As an investor, it means continuously reducing the carbon footprint of investments – including real estate. As a company, AXA trains its employees on climate issues through the AXA Climate Academy. Furthermore, AXA already fully offsets its operational CO2 emissions and is climate neutral. "We have set ourselves a net zero target for our operational emissions by 2025," says Daniela Fischer. Finally, as part of society, AXA wants to enable human progress by protecting what really matters – in the case of Flora Futura, biodiversity in Switzerland.
Around two million customers trust in AXA’s expertise in personal, property, liability, legal protection and life insurance as well as healthcare and occupational benefits insurance. With innovative products and services in areas such as mobility, healthcare, pensions and business together with simple, digital processes, AXA is a supportive partner for its customers. Using its «Know You Can» brand promise, it also encourages them to believe in themselves, even in challenging situations. Around 4,500 employees and the 3,000-strong sales force personally dedicate themselves to this vision. With more than 340 branch offices, AXA has Switzerland’s largest distribution network in the insurance industry. AXA Switzerland is part of the AXA Group and generated business volume of CHF 5.5 billion in 2021.