SCOR: values and CSR. Written by Grégory Soudan Research Director

Transcription

1 SCOR: values and CSR Written by Grégory Soudan Research Director 1, avenue du Général de Gaulle Paris La Défense Cedex / France Téléphone : +33 (0) / Fax : +33 (0) y

2 Ensuring the best possible returns for our shareholders Basing our relations on the transparency, credibility and consistency of our actions SCOR: values and Corporate Social Responsibility Capitalising on a sense of loyalty and partnership Promoting equal opportunities and diversity Basing our relationship with employees on respect and listening Investing in professional training and knowledge development A few words from the Chairman History has always been marked by catastrophic events, the role of reinsurance being to absorb a part of these. Nowadays, some of these events have a global scope, whether they are triggered by nature or by man, and their resonance is amplified. The dramatic Sendai earthquake is thus a global catastrophe likely to have repercussions on an environment that still bears the scars of the economic and financial crisis. With the growing interdependence that accompanies globalisation, the feeling of being more vulnerable is increasing along with the logical consequences of such a feeling, i.e. the need to feel more responsible, to anticipate and therefore to prepare for the challenges faced by our societies, and to better understand the interaction between the mechanisms at work. A member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2003, SCOR has made knowledge a pivotal part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy. Alongside our expertise, the unifying thread of our commitment to society is our willingness to understand and to share our understanding of the world. This is what drives our responsibility. We support the development of this global knowledge and of the risks to which our societies must adapt at every level of our organisation, both internally and externally. We do this through our corporate governance, which extends to the smallest branches of our organisation through the concept of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). With our unflagging support of the academic world and research in fields such as extreme events, the economy, longevity, disabling conditions and actuarial science, we are reinforcing our capacity to adapt and helping to spread a risk culture. By investing in human capital, with a view to enhancing the expertise of each of our employees, we are creating the ideal conditions for agility and personal development. Through training sessions and regular exchanges with our clients, we are striving for a shared understanding of the challenges at hand. Above all, we are trying to see what kind of contribution our industry can make in terms of meeting these challenges. Limiting our environmental footprint Being open to new ideas, participating in public debate and research and encouraging scientific progress Operating with absolute integrity in a fair competitive environment Constantly strengthening our knowledge, sharing our know-how and anticipating future challenges Establishing trust-based relationships with our clients and ensuring an optimal combination of quality and innovation for our products and services The constitution of a CSR committee in 2010, reporting to the Executive Committee, unites these initiatives and includes representatives from the business lines, support functions and management functions in each of our 6 Hubs throughout the world. Our commitment to research and scientific knowledge will take on a new dimension in 2011 with the imminent constitution of a corporate foundation devoted to these topics. This brochure sets out some of SCOR s actions in the field of CSR saw a large number of initiatives and concrete actions by the Group. These will continue and develop this year and beyond, as part of SCOR s commitment to its shareholders, its employees, its clients and society as a whole.

3 EMPOWERMENT: Our relationship with employees is based on loyalty and partnership. We are dedicated to equal opportunity, we value diversity, and we aim to promote and reward team spirit. Respect is the cement of our multicultural group. We provide our employees with the opportunity to achieve their goals by exalting professionalism and promoting professional education. Promoting equal opportunity and diversity Professional equality between men and women: New agreement with union representatives in France including an innovative mechanism to remove any unjustified salary discrepancies. The principles of nondiscrimination are highlighted in this agreement, and in the various key documents that embody the Group s human resources policy (appreciation and development appraisal, remuneration policy, Code of Conduct, etc.). Employment of seniors: Signature of a collective agreement on the employment of seniors in France for the period, including objectives to maintain the percentage of employees aged over fifty-five. Communication with the hearing-impaired: Study launched with occupational medicine in 2010 on hearing-impaired employees and their line managers on the Paris site with the aim of fostering dialogue and the integration of hearing-impaired persons. Basing our relationship with employees on respect and listening Global Employee Survey: The first Group internal Global Employee Survey was conducted in 2010 and included 1,600 employees. The survey was available in the Group s three main languages. Almost 70% of the Group s employees took part in the survey and the satisfaction rate reached 81%. The breakdown of results per Hub was distributed to all employees via the Intranet and was followed, when necessary, by discussions and meetings with a view to identifying progress avenues. Social dialogue: A number of corporate agreements were signed in France and in Germany. The Group founded a Common European Companies Committee in 2007 which is regularly consulted with regard to issues under its area of expertise. Posaction programme: In partnership with Solareh(1), a collective system to prevent psychosocial risks was set up in June The programme is promoted through the workplace wellbeing policy. This confidential psychological and social assistance service is run by a network of professionals and concerns professional difficulties as well as personal and family problems. (1) Investing in professional training and knowledge development Global professional training programme: Group employees attended approximately 4,400 training days in 2009 on the key fields of reinsurance and support functions. The amount devoted to professional training in France represented almost 4% of the 2010 wage bill, i.e. significantly higher than the contractual obligation for the sector (2.2%) and current practices in other business sectors (2.9% on average). Expert 2 : Skills sharing programme between Group Partners (more than 200 employees concerned) via the pooling of expertise. SCOR University: Creation in 2011 of a global training platform, with modular courses in the fields of team management, finance and reinsurance 1,665 employees in the Group (not including ReMark) 48% women / 52% men Offices in 30 countries 6 Hubs : Cologne, London, New York, Paris, Singapore and Zurich Capitalising on a sense of loyalty and partnership Dissemination of an individual social review for employees in France, covering the breakdown of their direct and deferred remuneration, comparatively and simultaneously for 2009 and DiSCORvery Meeting: Welcome and integration programme for employees recently recruited or assigned to the Paris Hub. Group remuneration policy: Applied uniformly between the Group s various Hubs and sites, this policy is transparent and is based on an annual individual appreciation and development appraisal. The document describing the remuneration policy is accessible to employees in all countries via the Intranet. SCOR JobOffers: Intranet site displaying SCOR job vacancies for all countries and areas of business. Job ads are accessible as soon as a vacancy arises in the Group in order to promote professional mobility. Global Employee Survey - June 2010: 81 % satisfaction rate 88 % of employees agree that sustainable development is a strategic axis for SCOR. 84 % satisfaction rate on working hours. 92 % of employees positive about the working atmosphere in teams. 87 % satisfaction rate on working conditions at SCOR. Paris Hub: On 24 November 2010, SCOR s union representatives signed a collective agreement on professional equality between men and women in SCOR s joint Works Committee (UES). The actions implemented include real initiatives to permanently correct any imbalances, raise employee awareness and provide training. These actions are monitored annually and the development of indicators is analysed.

4 Constantly reinforcing our knowledge, sharing our know-how and anticipating future challenges EXPERTISE: We are committed to delivering the very best quality to our clients in terms of our products and services and we act with absolute integrity, which enables us to develop our business in an environment based on trust. We are constantly improving our know-how and encourage innovation, with a view to providing our clients with high added value solutions. Operating with absolute integrity in a fair competitive environment 2010 Actuarial Awards 10 prizes awarded across Europe: December is harvest-time for the Actuarial Awards. In 4 countries (Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy), SCOR brings together a jury to select pertinent research theses and/or dissertations, and to distinguish the most accomplished works. Moreover, SCOR Switzerland promotes the bond between academic research and corporate practice with the SCOR Fellowship programme, which consists of a research grant in actuarial science and mathematical finance. These awards demonstrate SCOR s commitment to research. Code of conduct: A resolutely pragmatic code designed to help the Group s employees to resolve any rights and ethics issues with which they may be confronted. The Code covers numerous fields, and notably reminds employees about the ethical and legal rules applicable to business confidentiality, to the use of inside information and to financial communications. It also reminds them about the crucial values of non-discrimination, respect and loyalty practiced within the Group. It defines the rules relating to the acceptance of gifts and invitations, and emphasises client knowledge as a key way to defend the company against the risk of money laundering and to comply with anti-terrorism financing measures. Curriculum Vitae: SCOR group internal training programme designed to promote issues of compliance and ethics amongst employees. Over 700 employees were trained in through around 30 different training sessions (workshops, e-learning, meetings/debates). Promoting actuarial science: The Group has been sponsoring actuarial awards in several countries for many years. Each year, several young actuaries are rewarded for the quality of their research pertaining to risk management. At the same time, SCOR promotes the development of actuarial science through its involvement in teaching and with associations supporting academic research. Anticipating future challenges: SCOR Global Life s four international R&D centres have developed in-depth risk knowledge in key areas for today s society (long-term care, longevity, disability and mortality, medical selection). Through their partnerships with the scientific world, these centres enable SCOR to remain at the cutting edge of innovation. Sharing our know-how with our clients: Around thirty Campus training seminars took place in 2010, with a wide range of contributions. This constantly updated, shared expertise is also published via a number of different publications (Focus, SCOR Papers, etc.). Establishing trust-based relationships with our clients and ensuring an optimal combination of quality and innovation for our products and services The clients themselves have praised SCOR s strong focus on their needs. The latest independent Flaspöhler study ranks SCOR Global Life among the top 4 best Life reinsurers in Europe. Client satisfaction has risen sharply, from 30% in 2008 to almost 50% en SCOR Global P&C is ranked as fifth best overall reinsurer by its European clients, with an improvement in client satisfaction of 10 points between 2008 and These same clients place SCOR Global P&C in 3rd place in terms of its capacity to develop its European franchise over the coming years. The Group s ability to establish long-term relationships with its clients is recognised by observers and industry associations. Over the past few years, SCOR has collected several awards from industry magazines. The award for Best Global Reinsurance Company, received in September 2010 from Reactions magazine on the basis of a global survey of all industry players, is the crowning achievement in this series of distinctions Reinsurance Personality of the Year 2008 Insurance Risk M anager 2008: Redmayne Best Overall Reinsurer, "Best Client Focus" and "Reinsurance Personality in UK & Ireland Catastrophe Risk Transaction of the Year 2009 Insurance Risk Manager of the Year 2009 European Reinsurer 2010 (Reinsurer / Sponsor of the Year 2010 Casualty Actuarial Society Award SCOR Global P&C: best reinsurance company team for Motor and Facultative Best Global Reinsurance Company OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: We believe in the strength of the markets based on the principle of fair competition, and we do our utmost to base our leading position on an innovative corporate culture centred on our knowledge. This strategy enables us to encourage open mindedness, to increase our flexibility and to provide consistent solutions in order to anticipate the challenges of the future.

5 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: As a global reinsurance company, we are conscious of our societal responsibility towards local communities and the environment. We demonstrate our openness through our involvement in public debate and academic research, thereby increasing knowledge of societal challenges. With this in mind, we promote scientific progress in order to contribute to equitable development on a long-term basis. Limiting our environmental footprint Real estate policy for the operation of buildings: The Group is committed to an ambitious employee relocation programme (one roof policy) and has used this opportunity to favour moves to premises with high environmental standards. Following on from London (BREEAM certification), the Cologne and Paris teams will move to sites awarded an environmental label. For the new Paris site, the design and construction have been certified Haute Qualité Environnementale (HQE), and there are plans to continue the HQE approach in the operation phase of the building. In Cologne, the operation will be completed with an ISO certification approach. Investment property policy: The Group has launched energy audit operations on its investment property portfolio in order to identify ways to improve energy performance and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The target for the end of 2011 is to have conducted such audits on 20% of real estate held in France. Green IT: Energy efficiency criteria are taken into account for each IT project in order to improve the environmental performance of our information systems. The overall renewal of the Group s IT equipment has favoured the acquisition of highly energy-efficient equipment (Epeat Gold standard). At the same time, the Group is gradually reducing the number of its data-centres and is aiming for total consolidation in a single, green data-centre by For these two operations, the Group has quantified the energy gains and the reduction of ultimately resulting greenhouse gases for a full year (2340 Mw/h, i.e. 670 metric tons of CO2 equivalent). Being open to new ideas, participating in public debate and research and encouraging scientific progress Developing the knowledge and science of risks: Creation of the SCOR Global Risk Center in The SCOR Global Risk Center centralises all studies published by SCOR or with its support, as well as the external resources on risks that the Group wishes to promote. Signing partnerships in the fields of life and health: SCOR upholds a long tradition of partnerships with leading researchers who are authorities in their fields. Past examples of successful partnerships include a cooperation initiative with INSERM (the French institute for health and medical research) on ageing-related illnesses. Current collaborative projects include SCOR s support of the IFRAD Foundation (Alzheimer s disease), the Assmann Foundation (cardio-vascular diseases) and more recently the work and research on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) conducted by the team at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital. Contributing to the development of the risk economy: SCOR has just founded the Insurance Risk and Finance Center in partnership with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and finances economics chairs in France. The first chair is devoted to an important research project on the balance of risk markets, in particular with regard to acute risks, and on the economic value created by such markets. This project is conducted as part of the Risk Foundation with the Institut d économie industrielle (IDEI) and the Paris-Dauphine University. In addition, SCOR and the Fondation Jean-Jacques Laffont Toulouse Sciences économiques have joined forces to create a research chair dedicated to a research project on economic developments (management of financial risk, the detection and management of tail risk, the links between financial markets, the economy, innovation, and long-term investment, etc.). Selection of our partnerships with research players Nanyang Technological University (Singapour) : Creation of the Insurance Risk and Finance Research Center, in charge of promoting applied research in the fields of insurance and related risks. Risk Foundation IDEI (France): Creation of the Risk market and value creation research chair, in charge of a research project on the balance of risk markets, notably with regard to acute risks. Fondation Jean-Jacques Laffont (France) : Creation of a research chair dedicated to a research project on the developments of the financial economy. Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France): Support of the work and research conducted on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Assmann Foundation (Germany): Prevention of cardio-vascular diseases. IFRAD Foundation (France): Support of research into Alzheimer s disease. Travel policy: In a sector such as reinsurance, a considerable proportion of greenhouse gas emissions result from air transport. In order to reduce its environmental footprint, the Group has drawn up a travel policy applicable to all Group entities. Concomitantly, seven videoconference rooms were opened in 2010 in order to promote dialogue between employees without travel between the Group s various sites. Paper policy: The majority of the Group s sites use paper from sustainably managed forests. With a view to cutting its paper consumption, the Paris site has installed new photocopiers configured to copy on both sides of the page by default and has removed all of the 600 individual printers. Employee involvement: Various local initiatives such as in Cologne (Plant a Tree, GOGREEN with Deutsche Post) or in London (project to preserve biodiversity by placing beehives on the terraces of the London premises and creation of a budding beekeepers club). Raising client awareness of environmental issues: The Campus seminars are a chance to discuss cross-cutting issues with our clients such as climate change or water management. A recent seminar held by SCOR Global P&C was covered by a Focus publication entitled Water: a key industrial resource at the crossroads of risks and opportunities. April 2010: Plant for the planet Plant for the planet is a campaign organised by teenagers supporting the aim of the United Nations to plant one billion trees worldwide. The employees in Cologne planted 1 tree for each SCOR employee worldwide in a forest that was damaged by a storm. An additional donation of 10,000 was invested in planting 10,000 trees in Africa. Various partnerships with German universities: - Reinsurance Institute of the University of Applied Sciences, Cologne - Center of Expertise for Economical Insurance Research of the University of Hanover - Albert Einstein Universität, Ulm In addition to these partnerships, SCOR employees directly take part in teaching activities in several institutions (Ecole polytechnique in Zurich, ENASS, Paris-Dauphine University, etc.)

6 PROFITABILITY: Ensuring the best possible returns for our shareholders A good return for our shareholders is at the core of our strategy. We are accountable for our actions and do what we say we will do. We conduct our business in a consistent and a transparent way by setting clear goals and defining professional standards, which establish our credibility. Profitability, a pillar of solvency and of a long-term vision: Profitability is essential to enable the Group to absorb shocks and plan for the future. It contributes to our solvency and meets the expectations of our shareholders, clients, rating agencies and regulators. A strategy hinged upon a policy of high shareholder remuneration: SCOR shareholder remuneration is a key element in the Group s strategy and its various strategic plans have provided for a high rate of return. As required by the Dynamic Lift V2 strategic plan, the dividends paid have always exceeded 35% of distributable profit over the period of the plan, reaching 47% for 2010 (*). The dividend proposed at the General Shareholders Meeting of 2010 is rising by 10% to 1.10 per share (*). Since 2005, the Group has distributed 807 million in dividends to its shareholders. Moreover, SCOR s global rate of shareholder remuneration has been higher than that of its peers since Strong Momentum: Throughout its new "Strong Momentum" plan, the Group aims to maintain an active remuneration policy which, coupled with the increase in its profitability objective to 1000 basis points above the risk-free rate over the cycle, should maintain SCOR s performance at the highest level in the industry in terms of shareholder remuneration. Transparent and dynamic financial communications: The reinsurance profession is little known and often viewed as being very complex. Consequently, SCOR does its utmost to communicate its activities to shareholders by applying a stringent policy of transparency. Numerous publications on the Group s operations and results are made available to our shareholders (annual reports, letters to shareholders, press releases, etc.). The importance given to transparency is reflected in the complete overhaul of the Group s website which provides shareholders with a broad range of easily accessible information, in addition to the dedicated shareholder department, created several years ago, to which any shareholder, individual or institutional, may address questions. Basing our relations on the transparency, credibility and consistency of our actions Governance, the cornerstone of credibility: SCOR s Board of Directors follows the best practices currently in force, and is involved via its various components in the Group s Enterprise Risk Management process. Beyond the legal and regulatory conditions, SCOR strives to apply the recommendations made by the AMF and by the French code of corporate governance (AFEP-MEDEF). New developments in 2011: The 2011 renewal of the members of the Board of Directors (*) will be marked by a reduction in the number of Directors, continued action for equal opportunities, upheld diversification of expertise and internationalisation. The term of the mandates is also set to be completely revised to favour staggered renewals of the Board in the future. The concept of a see-through company : SCOR is promoting the idea of a see-through company. This is also why we are firmly committed to providing all parties concerned (investors, clients, rating agencies, regulators, etc.) with all of the keys to our strategy for the next three years. Consistency is another of our values: SCOR has made a moderate risk appetite one of the pillars of its strategic model. We like to select the risks that we take on, and to take them on with our eyes open. We believe the same is true for our shareholders. Information being the most useful factor for risk reduction, we feel that by giving them very detailed information on our strategy, we are helping them to manage their own risk appetites, consistently with our own. (*) Approval by the General Shareholders Meeting dated 4 May (*) Approval by the General Shareholders Meeting dated 4 May 2011.