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Camille Hanton
PR Manager, AIA Australia
T: +61 431 180 475
AIA Australia pledges 10,000 moments of connection to help end loneliness
PRESS RELEASE
7 August 2024
3 min read
3 min read
Melbourne, Wednesday, 7 August – Leading life, health and wellbeing insurer, AIA Australia is on a mission to help end loneliness during Australian Loneliness Awareness Week, 5-11 August, and beyond.
AIA Australia is seeking 10,000 pledges of social connection as part of its Ending Loneliness is Free campaign, which encourages Australians to pledge a small act of connection. Pledge options range from a long stroll with no purpose with a friend, a face-to-face catch up, or a long overdue hug with someone they care about – the important factor is that all acts of connection are accessible and free.
Together with its partner Ending Loneliness Together (ELT), AIA Australia is aiming to normalise conversations about loneliness and encourage people to create a culture of connection at home, work, school and in their community. With one in three Australians experiencing loneliness, these small moments can make a big difference.
This week, AIA Australia hosted a pledge wall pop up at Melbourne Central in the city’s CBD. Visitors to the pledge wall were encouraged to write their personal commitment to help end loneliness and add it to the wall.
Damien Mu, CEO of AIA Australia said, “At AIA Australia, we’re committed to raising awareness about the impact that loneliness can have on our health and wellbeing. Championing a broader culture of connection is a crucial part of our mission to help Australians lead healthier, longer, better lives.”
“Research has shown that loneliness is a risk factor for poor health, wellbeing and lower workplace productivity. As a health and life insurer, we recognise the importance of making an ongoing pledge to combat loneliness. Raising awareness about this social issue and providing much-needed support needs to occur each and every week, not just during Loneliness Awareness Week.”
To help combat loneliness in the workplace, AIA Australia and ELT are delivering a webinar during Loneliness Awareness Week which has been designed for corporates and superfunds to demonstrate the importance of social connection at work.
AIA Australia has also collaborated with ELT to develop a comprehensive workplace training program that aims to raise awareness of workplace loneliness and the subsequent impacts this has on both employers and employees.
In addition, AIA Australia’s pledge campaign includes ways to connect with one another in the workplace, such as a walking meeting or a coffee with a colleague.
Associate Professor Michelle Lim, CEO and Scientific Chair of Ending Loneliness Together said, “Our 2023 State of the Nation report showed that Australians who reported loneliness were also more likely to report absenteeism, presenteeism and workplace loneliness.
“Loneliness is a workplace health issue that impacts individuals and businesses alike. We are pleased to work closely with AIA Australia to help raise awareness and encourage action from employers,” she said.
ELT published new research1 this week. Key findings included:
- One in four Australians report persistent loneliness, which means feeling lonely for at least eight weeks.
- Australians living with chronic health conditions such as cancer, heart problems, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, kidney and liver disease are 1.5 times more likely to be persistently lonely.
- Australians living with a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression are almost three times more likely to experience persistent loneliness.
For more information on AIA Australia’s Ending Loneliness is Free campaign, visit www.aia.com.au/en/health-and-wellbeing/campaign/ending-loneliness
Employers interested in the workplace training can sign up by visiting https://endingloneliness.com.au/training/#workplace
Michelle Lim
Associate Professor, Ending Loneliness Together
T: +61 423 354 523
About Ending Loneliness Together
Ending Loneliness Together was founded in 2016 by a collaboration of established leaders and experts in the field of loneliness, with a vision to create an Australia where everyone feels a sense of connection and belonging. Now a national organisation underpinned by lived experience, research, community, government and health expertise, Ending Loneliness Together generates research and translates evidence into practical resources and solutions to effectively address social isolation and loneliness.
About AIA Australia
AIA Australia is a leading life insurance specialist with 50 years’ experience and purpose to make a difference in people’s lives. In 2014 the company launched AIA Vitality, a world leading, science-based health and wellbeing program, to the Australian market. In July 2017, AIA and its partners launched AIA’s health insurance business, now known as AIA Health Insurance.
In 2021, CommInsure Life was integrated into AIA Australia. The lives of more than 3.1 million Australians are protected and enhanced through AIA Australia’s unique value proposition of life, health and wellbeing. Our vision is to embrace shared value in championing Australia to be the healthiest and best protected nation in the world.
In pursuit of this, AIA Australia has developed AIA Embrace- a comprehensive wellbeing ecosystem of world-class products, programs and partnerships. These are designed to help customers, partners and the broader community to embrace better health and wellbeing.
In offering a broad range of health and wellbeing services to its customers, partners and broader community, AIA is proudly helping people lead healthier, longer, better lives.
AIA Australia has been recognised with multiple awards, including the ANZIIF Life Insurance Company of the Year (2023, 2022), Women in Finance Employer of the Year Award (2018, 2019), Super Review’s Best Insurer of the Year (2018, 2019), FSC Life Insurance Industry Awards Innovation in Group Life Insurance (2021), Shared Value Awards Organisation of the Year (2020) and Shared Value Project of the Year (2021).
Further information at www.aia.com.au.
Footnotes
1 ‘Why we feel lonely: A deep dive into how different life circumstances contribute to persistent loneliness and social isolation’ surveyed 4,026 Australian adults between June to November 2023 to inform the report which was led by Associate Professor Michelle Lim, CEO and Scientific Chair Ending Loneliness Together and her colleagues, Professor Ben Smith, Dr Kat Owen, from the University of Sydney.
Copyright © 2024 AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861 AFSL 230043). This is general information only, without taking into account factors like the objectives, financial situation, needs or personal circumstances of any individual and is not intended to be financial, legal, tax, medical, nutritional, health, fitness or other advice. The source information is current as at Wednesday 7 August and may be subject to change. While the information contained herein is believed to be accurate, AIA Australia expressly disclaims any and all liability for representations or warranties, expressed or implied, contained in, or for omissions from, the information.
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