Ageas and University of Antwerp establish sustainable insurance chair
Recent events such as the floods in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe and the global corona pandemic have confirmed the crucial role of insurers in our society. Helping people in need. Coming to the rescue when things go wrong and securing the continuity of our daily lives. And there are even more challenges ahead: the mounting impact of climate change, cybercrime and digitization, securing social inclusion and diversity in a polarizing society, caring for the oldest among us... Tomorrow never comes, and changes in the world are unpredictable and are upon us before we know it. “Business as usual" is not an option. Responding is a must.
Insurers can create an impact in many ways: through responsible investment policies or the insurance products or related services they offer. The large sums that insurers invest on behalf of their customers enable them to drive the transition to a more sustainable economy. But they can also use the insurance products they develop to respond to climate change and various other societal challenges such as the ageing population, mental and physical health and general prevention.
Insurers have the tools to make a difference in areas such as financial inclusion and solidarity or encouraging sustainable behavior. The Sustainable Insurance chair is a collaborative effort between the University of Antwerp and Ageas that has been established to research sustainable insurance. Looking into the big societal issues that occupy us every day not only offers opportunities for insurers, but it is also necessary if we are to remain relevant in the future.
Corporate social responsibility is in Ageas's DNA and is there in everything we do as an insurer. For that reason, I am especially pleased to see that we can establish this 'Sustainable Insurance' chair together with the University of Antwerp, Professor Luc Van Liedekerke and Kristien Doumen, with whom we have already worked intensively and exceptionally well over the past three years. I am convinced that this partnership between academia and business will provide concrete insights that will allow us as insurers to take on an even more important role in solving the societal challenges of today and tomorrow.