How AIA is investing in employee engagement across APAC

Business purpose, properly stated, can be the foundation of not only an organisation's business model but also its employee engagement strategy.

Life insurance group AIA—the largest publicly listed pan-Asian life insurer—states that its purpose is to help people live healthier, longer, and better lives, which directs both its business model and employee engagement strategy. This vision supports its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework, which is built on five strategic pillars. One of these, “People and Culture”, focuses on creating a fair, inclusive, and growth-oriented workplace.

This internal alignment around purpose informs how AIA approaches people policies, talent development, and organisational practices.

The company’s ongoing investment in employee experience has been recognised across global and regional platforms. It received the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award for the third consecutive year and placed in the 92nd percentile of Gallup’s global employee engagement benchmark for the financial and insurance sector.

AIA was also named one of Newsweek’s “100 Most Beloved Global Companies”, reinforcing its visibility as an attractive workplace. Local subsidiaries have similarly received recognition: AIA Malaysia for talent and employer branding; AIA Taiwan for leadership in employer preference and corporate wellness; AIA China for ESG and DEI initiatives; AIA Singapore for inclusion, employee care, and sustainable practices; and AIA Sri Lanka, which has been certified as a Great Place to Work for 12 consecutive years.

AIA has introduced internal mechanisms to strengthen ESG literacy and engagement across the organisation. The “ESG Hub” serves as a central platform for learning materials, training, and communications, giving employees easy access to resources.

The company’s ESG Pulse Survey captures employee sentiment and awareness. In the most recent results, 98% of respondents affirmed the importance of ESG at AIA, 81% felt that their participation enhanced job satisfaction, and 97% reported familiarity with the company’s ESG strategy. Encouragingly, 9 in 10 employees said they understood how to contribute to a sustainable workplace.

A monthly ESG newsletter supports ongoing engagement, featuring case studies, green challenges (such as “Bike to Work Day”), and photos of employee initiatives that promote sustainable behaviours.

One multi-year, group-wide green office initiative dubbed "AIA CAN" addresses six areas: waste, energy, water, travel, procurement, and environmental well-being. Supporting resources include an AIA CAN checklist and a digital dashboard for tracking office-level progress.

Simple measures—such as replacing individual bins with communal recycling points and switching to LED lighting—have been adopted widely. The campaign has seen broad participation across regions through activities like tree planting, recycling workshops, beach clean-ups, and exchange events, where each country business shapes the campaign according to local needs and concerns.

For example, AIA China’s “AIA CAN – One Planet” includes a unique element that links sustainable customer choices with donations to conservation efforts for the Yangtze River. The virtual launch featured quizzes, games, and interactive sessions, with over 3,000 live viewers and 900 local attendees. Points collected through these activities were converted into financial contributions to environmental and social projects in Asia.

In 2024, 60% of AIA's leadership positions were filled through internal promotions, highlighting a strong talent pipeline. The learning curriculum has expanded with modules such as Healthcare 101, designed to enhance understanding of the integrated healthcare model. The Group's efforts were externally validated through EFMD certification, underscoring the quality and impact of its learning programmes.

Employee well-being is also prioritised. The “Me@AIA” mental resilience programme has involved more than 5,000 employees, and over 140 team members are now certified in Psychological First Aid. AIA also ran its third Group-wide mental well-being campaign. On average, each employee completed more than 30 hours of training over the year, surpassing internal training targets.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are considered part of wellbeing. AIA’s workforce reflects a wide range of cultures and experiences, with over 70 nationalities represented and 72% of employees belonging to Gen Y and Gen Z. Women account for 57% of the overall workforce, and 41.8% of senior management positions—exceeding the company’s 40% target. Additionally, more than 40% of leadership development programme participants are women.

AIA supports inclusion through workplace policies and initiatives such as Korea’s Gender Network. Recognition as a “Family-Friendly Company” by the Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family acknowledges these ongoing efforts.

The Group’s Code of Conduct, recognised by all employees, helps to reinforce shared ethical standards and responsible behaviour throughout the organisation.

AIA’s integrated approach—linking purpose, ESG, learning, and inclusion—offers valuable insights. Rather than treating these elements as separate agendas, AIA has woven them into a coherent organisational strategy. This alignment strengthens employee engagement while reinforcing long-term resilience and competitiveness.