Stakeholder dialogue Policy & Public Affairs

AXA's stakeholders include all the people and organizations that may influence or be influenced by its decisions and activities. Some of these stakeholders, such as clients, employees and shareholders, represent long-standing partners for AXA. Cooperation between their representatives and AXA is effectively managed, and this recognition has enabled AXA to improve its performances by embarking firmly on the path toward social responsibility.

For example, since 2006, AXA has had two dedicated correspondents for the European Works Council (one French and the other German). They are working closely with the Group Corporate Responsibility department, looking at the main environmental and social issues. The EWC representatives are also invited to give their opinion on the content of the Activity and Corporate Responsibility Report.

Furthermore, both at Group and local levels, close ties are built up with distributor representative associations, trade bodies and NGOs concerned by the sector's activities. NGOs have in particular been associated with the development of certain investment policies.

AXA also has a longstanding tradition of social involvement, in particular through corporate philanthropic efforts to benefit the community, society and culture in general. The regional integration of the business within its environment represents a long-term approach, built around joint efforts and ongoing consultation between the company and local representatives.

Public Affairs

As part of our ambition to be an exemplary company also in our relations with public authorities and societal stakeholders, AXA became in 2013 a member of the non-profit Transparency International France and subsequently signed the "Common declaration on lobbying by TI France's corporate members". Turning words into deeds, AXA published in 2015 its own Public Affairs Charter to describe the purpose and organisation of the Group's Public Affairs department and to present the commitments taken to guarantee the fairness and transparency of exchanges with public authorities.

In particular, AXA commits to being transparent on the core topics of focus and positions defended by the Public Affairs teams, and to provide public decision-makers only with reliable, verifiable and updated information. In order to guarantee transparency, the Public Affairs Charter also includes a list of the professional organisations, federations and think tanks of which AXA is a member at Group level, as well as a link to AXA's registration on public institutions' official lobbying registry.

The Public Affairs charter, including the core topics of focus and positions, will be updated on a yearly basis.

Transparency International welcomes AXA's Public Affairs Charter, illustrating AXA's 2014 commitment. This Charter integrates several of Transparency International France's principles and is an affirmation of AXA's willingness to be compliant with the highest standards in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility best-practices and new expectations. Read Transparency International France's comments.

AXA Stakeholder Advisory Panel

In 2014, AXA decided to launch a Stakeholder Advisory Panel, to advance the company's role as an insurer in building a stronger, safer and more sustainable society.

The Panel is designed to provide an informal forum for deep discussion of global trends shaping the world in which AXA operates; to identify ways that AXA can shape its vision and strategy consistent with these trends; and to enable AXA to maximize its positive impact on clients and the communities in which it operates.