AXA UK partners with Business in the Community

Insurer commits £1 million to Business in the Community’s new initiative, The National Business Response Network, set up to meet urgent community needs arising from the coronavirus pandemic
The network focuses its activity on helping communities navigate their way through the coronavirus pandemic by matching them with businesses who can offer support
The donation marks the start of the partnership, with AXA joining Business in the Community’s Board of Trustees

AXA UK is donating £1 million to Business in the Community (BITC) as part of its response to the coronavirus epidemic and support for the charity’s recently formed National Business Response Network.

The donation marks the start of the partnership between the insurer and Business in the Community, a charity and The Prince’s Responsible Business Network, with AXA joining Business in the Community’s Board of Trustees and becoming a founding partner of The National Business Response Network

Organised as a response to the COVID-19 crisis, the National Business Response Network connects national and local community groups, businesses, local authorities and charities with businesses who can offer support; ensuring resources are delivered to the right place, at the right time.

Over the coming months, AXA will also be providing help in the form of volunteering (both on the ground or virtual). The partnership will allow colleagues from across the country to contribute, using their skills and time to support local communities.

The network focuses its activity on four key areas helping communities navigate their way through the coronavirus pandemic:

Food: Ensuring people have continued access to food
Technology: Support to enable children to continue learning, and older people to stay connected to families
Community support: Support to vulnerable groups and older people to enable continued access to food, healthcare, social interaction and other essentials
Small businesses: Creating resources with advice and practical tools specifically for small businesses; providing business continuity and wellbeing support through mentoring for small businesses

The network is supported by over 300 business leaders, committed and ready to take action by mobilising their thousands of employees, supply chains and partners in their local community.

The business resources the National Business Resource Network matches to community needs are:

Professional support: Using the resources and goodwill of member companies to provide support for national and local businesses throughout the UK
Lending/donating resources: Lending or donating resources to organisations and people to meet need
Logistics: Transportation of resources, goods and services

During this crisis, it is vital that our communities receive much needed support from businesses that have the capacity to help. The National Business Response Network utilises the resources and expertise of companies across the UK to support communities and businesses up and down the country. AXA is proud to play its part as a founding partner of the network; offering our support not just during this pandemic, but for the future as well.

Claudio Gienal, Chief Executive Officer at AXA UK & Ireland

With AXA’s £1 million investment as a founding partner to develop and build the capacity of the National Business Response Network, we will be able to match large business offers of support to local community needs. Put simply, this support will save lives and provide a springboard to help our communities across the UK bounce back and recover as fast as possible. Through our National Business Response Network and with AXA's support, we can provide lifelines to people and communities affected by the pandemic.

Amanda Mackenzie OBE, Chief Executive at Business in the Community

Community organisations in need of help and businesses wanting to offer their support can visit the National Business Response Network online board of needs and offers.

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Legal notes

About AXA UK

AXA Insurance UK plc registered in England and Wales under registered number 078950 and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority under Financial Conduct Authority registration number 202312. Registered office is 20 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0BG.

AXA UK is part of the AXA Group, a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, with 147,000 employees serving 94 million clients in 50 countries. In 2023, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 102.7 billion and underlying earnings to Euro 7.6 billion. AXA had Euro 844 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2023.

In the UK & Ireland, AXA operates through a number of business units including: AXA Insurance, AXA Health and AXA Ireland. AXA UK & Ireland employs around 10,000 staff.

Important legal information and cautionary statements concerning forward-looking statements

Certain statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans, expectations or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause AXA’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward looking statements. Please refer to Part 5: “Risk Factors and Risk Management” of AXA’s Universal Registration Document 2022, for a description of certain important factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect AXA’s business and / or results of operations. AXA undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws and regulations.

AXA UK partners with Business in the Community to help communities tackle coronavirus