AXA

AXA is a global leader in insurance and asset management, distinguished for its rapid growth and proactive approach to corporate responsibility (CR). Formed in the 1980s, the company expanded through strategic acquisitions and branding, ultimately establishing itself as a leading global insurance brand. AXA's commitment to CR has been ingrained in its operations since the 1980s. Initially driven by CEO Claude Bébéar's initiatives, the company fostered business leaders to address social issues and engaged in philanthropy. In 1990, AXA established “AXA Atout Coeur” for community engagement and in 2001 launched its first sustainable development function. It wasn't until 2008, however, that AXA developed a formal CR strategy with a global action plan directed by Alice Steenland. This plan introduced a proprietary CR metric tailored to major operating activities, enhancing visibility within the CR community and achieving high ratings from external organizations.

The CR group at AXA faced significant challenges, particularly in developing new CR metrics that could better integrate with the company's operations and promote growth. . The integration of CR into the Strategy and Public Affairs functions in 2014 marked a new phase that required rethinking how CR efforts were monitored and measured, aligning them more closely with business objectives and innovational goals. The CR team needed to identify CR issues relevant to AXA, demonstrate the value of addressing these issues, and create metrics to measure success.