Accountability

Corporate responsibility report

  • Amlin places a high emphasis on integrity, professionalism and the sustainability of our business.
  • We aim to apply these values to our relationships internally with employees and externally with third parties including clients and brokers, and within the Lloyd’s and Bermudian insurance markets and other communities of relevance to Amlin.

Overview

In this report, we summarise our Corporate Responsibility activity in relation to employees, clients, the Lloyd’s market, Bermuda, the environment, charities and our communities.

Shareholder relations are covered in the earlier 'Accounting to shareholders' part of this Accountability section. We remain a member of FTSE4Good Index and we continue to utilise the Corporate Responsibility Exchange, a single platform from which subscriber investors, analysts, media and peers may source relevant data reporting on corporate responsibility and governance.

Employees

Amlin’s vision includes being recognised as the place to work in our sector, with staff that understand our strategy and their role in reaching and exceeding our goals. An important element in achieving this is being a responsible employer, operating first class employment practices and engaging with employees. Activities aimed at meeting and advancing our position in relation to these aims is included in the People section of the Review.

In summary, during 2007 Amlin has:

  • Communicated the Amlin Core Values to staff using interactive workshops and embedded these into our policies and performance reviews.
  • Taken steps to address issues raised by the 2006 Ipsos MORI employee survey. These included: reviewing the Group Bonus Scheme, so initiating a leadership programme and providing new training in managing poor performance.
  • Implemented a Share Incentive Plan, in 2007 for all employees employed since the middle of the previous year. 97% of such eligible employees received a stake in the Company’s equity through the Plan.
  • Agreed the further enhancement of staff benefits designed to improve employees' quality of life, by giving more choices for 2008 on matters such as medical care, adding to the existing menu of child care vouchers, dental care, subsidised gym membership etc.
  • Seen a record number of staff taking sabbatical leave, rewarding those with service of more than ten years with an opportunity for more extended family time, travel or other lifeenhancing activities. During 2007, 22 staff (21 per cent of those eligible and including people from all role levels in the Company) took sabbaticals.
  • Increased remote working access, such that 40% of employees worldwide now have this capability.
  • Continued the good start by Amlin Bermuda Ltd (ABL) in terms of employee diversity and student support, recruiting a high proportion of Bermudian staff. Such employment practices have resulted in the award to ABL of an Excellence in Equality of Opportunity Award by the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality in Bermuda.

The good conduct of employees in their management of business relationships and with colleagues is critical to creating pride in the Company and to our aspiration to be a socially responsible company. We also believe that initiatives creating a better work/life balance are directly beneficial to the Group by improving efficiency and morale. Amlin’s core corporate values are an important part of the Code of Conduct (available on our website) to which all employees are expected to adhere.