Aviva and WWF

This is the story of a flower

and a bee.

 

It began a long, long time ago

when these two wonders of nature

first teamed up to achieve something

that was almost impossible alone.

Enticed by the sweet smell

of the flowers nectar.

The hungry bee dived in

and in return for the feast,

carried pollen onto plants

far, far beyond the flowers reach.

The flowers were pollinated

and the hive was fed.

It's in this spirit that

WWF and Aviva join forces today,

working in harmony to help tackle

one of the greatest challenges

the planet and all life on it

has ever faced,

 

Climate change.

 

WWF’s world leading expertise on nature

loss and climate change and Aviva's extensive reach

striving to make our financial system

sit up and take notice.

 

Working together in the UK to build

healthier, more resilient communities, restoring landscapes

and aiming to shift the finance sector to net zero.

 

Shaping this future is not

an individual effort.

 

It takes partnerships.

 

It takes Aviva and WWF.

 

A natural partnership.

For 3 years, WWF and Aviva have been on a journey together, with a shared goal: to breathe life back into the UK’s landscapes, build climate resilient communities, and support the finance sector on its journey to net zero.

After devastating floods in Norfolk, we worked with nature to make the landscape more flood resilient. We built natural, leaky dams and reconnected historic river channels — giving nature a chance to heal itself. Since then, despite 8 named storms, there has been no further flooding — illustrating how natural flood prevention measures can work.

In Ingleborough, over 65,000 trees and spongy sphagnum moss took root. This modest yet mighty plant, capable of holding vast amounts of water, helps shield the land from floods while restoring the landscapes that rare species like red squirrels and hen harriers call home.

On the Ribble Estuary, we installed the UK’s first carbon flux tower, to discover the vital role of saltmarsh in fighting climate change, and prove their power as long-term carbon stores, natural flood protectors, and havens for iconic UK birds and marine life.

Further north, in the waters of the iconic Firth of Forth, we helped to return European Flat oysters, after a century-long absence, and supported the planting of 156,000 seagrass seeds. These efforts will not only help prevent coastal erosion and improve water quality, but for many in the local community, they’ve brought an unexpected benefit — a renewed sense of well-being, both mentally and physically.

Everyone deserves to experience the wonders of nature. That’s why we offered grants through the Aviva Access to Nature Fund and the Wild Ingleborough Access to Nature Fund to help those struggling to access nature’s incredible benefits. And since the launch of the Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund, hundreds of local projects, from the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish Riviera, have raised millions of pounds, supported by thousands of people eager to protect the environment.

But our journey doesn’t stop there. At COP26, our joint paper successfully called on the government to introduce mandatory net zero transition plans for financial institutions.

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and the legacy that our work will leave. This unlikely, yet natural partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when diverse forces unite. The landscapes we’ve healed will continue to flourish, communities will grow stronger, and the policies we’ve influenced will drive lasting change for generations to come.