Pathetic response from Aviva CEO

[rightreckoner]

I wrote to Andy Briggs, the CEO of Aviva, to ask them to look again at their Stonewall collaboration given:

1. the fact that Stonewall now have as a stated campaign aim the eradication of single sex spaces

2. the homophobia within the movement as identified by the many LGBT people and community leaders who signed the petition to Stonewall asking it to adjust its TRA stance

3. the inappropriate history of a number of the Stonewall Trans Advisory board members who are clearly not fit and proper people to be advising a charity or a major British corporate

I asked specifically whether they had asked any of their female members of staff whether they were happy for single sex spaces to be eradicated.

This is the response I have received:

Thank you for your email & letter addresses to Andy Briggs of the 5th December 2018.

We supported the advert in the Metro as we wanted to make it clear that we are proud to stand with our trans colleagues, customers and friends.

Aviva remains dedicated to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and our internal policies and external public commitments reflect this.

Aviva have no further comments to make.

Many Thanks

Customer Relations (CEO Office) Aviva UKI

I am pretty hacked off. Thoughts on how to reignite this? Write to all the non-execs?

Oh dear aviva

This was the stonewall metro ad that was in response to the metro FPFW ad, IIRC?

I might write in to them to, was wondering how I'd fill the hours over the Christmas break

*too

Yes that ad. I might write to all of the supporters and see who provides the best response. Festive Christmas prize for the worst? Aviva are off to a strong start here.

Excellent idea! A 12 days of Xmas mumsnet FWR prize-giving (no prizes).

That is awful.

I got a better response from Virgin Money

^At Virgin Money we believe that individuals should be able to fulfil their potential and play a full role in our society, regardless of their gender, race, social background, sexual orientation or age.

Stonewall was established almost 30 years ago to help advance equality and acceptance for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people and Virgin Money believes in the positivity and the openness that the rainbow flag symbolises.

We do acknowledge that there are a range of valid viewpoints around gender politics, and it is important that all voices are heard.

We also acknowledge that a conflict exists between transgenderism and sex-based women’s rights, and it is right for these issues to be debated respectfully.

Ultimately, we are not partisan on specific recommendations that Stonewall have made - we are passionate about fairness, equality and inclusion for everyone.

As such, the government’s consultation on how best to reform the Gender Recognition Act allows everyone to express their views and concerns on this important issue.^

Obviously that did not explain why they had supported a partisan poster, but my assumption was that at least some of the names used were not fully aware what they were signing up for. (I bloody well hope that some of the public sector bodies were not trying to influence a Government consultation!)

Upsetting most of their staff for the sake of a small number, if any.

So Aviva offer insurance, savings and investments for trans customers, employ trans colleagues and have trans ‘ friends’. Noted. Looks like they want a very teeny, tiny slice of the market share or are they aiming for a couple of billionaires to help them out?

Quite Chewy. Remind me again lovely MNers which member of the household makes the majority of the household purchasing decisions? 🤔

My goodness. I've been with Aviva for four years. Due for renewal in March.

I think not.

Yes Boatyard, Aviva seem to think it’s the transmembers of our households, guess we’ll have to think really hard about how we identify 😉

Thanks for doing this, useful to know who to avoid, I make decisions on home and business insurance.

Oh dear, Aviva - you've alerted Mumsnetters to your crappy attitudes to women...

Stonewall was established almost 30 years ago to help advance equality and acceptance for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people

No it wasn’t. Stonewall didn’t start campaigning on behalf of transgender people until 2015. It worked with transgender organisations before that but it didn’t campaign on their behalf.

No it wasn’t. Stonewall didn’t start campaigning on behalf of transgender people until 2015. It worked with transgender organisations before that but it didn’t campaign on their behalf.

Indeed. I've read articles by transactivists even as recently as 2014 complaining that Stonewall weren't interested in trans rights.

All this stuff is very recent.

Doesn't surprise me. I've met Andy Briggs. Let's just say I'm not his biggest fan.

From Wikipedia:

On 16 February 2015 Stonewall announced their plan to campaign for trans equality in a report generated from consultation with over 700 trans people, despite previously maintaining a "a strict distinction between sexual orientation and gender identity", with Stonewall chief Ruth Hunt saying that "historically, we thought it was the right thing to do" but that she has now changed her mind, saying that: "We recognise the impact of mistakes we have made in the past. We are aware that we have missed opportunities to open up this conversation far sooner. We apologise to trans people for the harm that we have caused."

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_(charity)

Of course, if declaring yourself trans means you have always been trans then declaring yourself trans-inclusive means you have always been trans-inclusive.

We've always been at war with Eastasia.

I did go back to Virgin to say this, and that by including the “T” they had become a different sort of organisation. I got a bit of a bland motherhood and apple pie response, but made my point.

In time people will wake up to the fact that Stonewall is effectively lobbying to take things (single sex spaces) away from others, and that it is no longer the respected organisation it was. Hopefully that poster proved to be a bit of an own goal. Virgin, at least, admit there are competing interests. Writing letters/emails seems to work.

I wouldn't be suprised if this letter was delegated to the LBGT-WTF people in the organisation. Many top bods in organisations that purport to be inclusive and integrated seem to duck and dive and delegate to the 'experts, rather than speak for themselves. I think that tells us a lot about the culture of paying lip-service to diversity.

You've asked some profound, uncomfortable and difficult questions - none of which have been answered. Instead, he chooses to make a bland statement.

I think it was Professor Kathleen Stock who, when talking about responses from businesses to surveys and enquiries, or when making policies affecting protected characteristics, warned them NOT to let the LBGT-WTF/gender studies people anywhere near the response/survey/enquiry. For good reason. They don't see the bigger picture for the business and its relationship with women employees and customers.

It would be worth sending them the link to Stonewall's Tweet about their annual report, I'll look for it. That will help them to understand it's not quite the well respected organisation they might think.

Tweet
mobile.twitter.com/stonewalluk/status/1070357143180795904

There's that petition too.

Thank you for sharing. Currently with Aviva for 2 car insurance policies and pet insurance. Won’t be renewing with them.

Upsetting most of their staff for the sake of a small number, if any.

It's all so arrogant, isn't it?

Apparently Andy Briggs (Aviva CEO) is also a trustee of the NSPCC and is the chair of the NSPCC Fundraising Committee ...