Green moves: AIA, AustralianSuper

AIA Australia's head of shared value partnerships has stepped down from the role where she spearheaded initiatives that drive growth while addressing societal needs.

Simonie Fox is known for her strong leadership and innovative ideas that promote health equity and community wellbeing.

With a background in oncology nursing and occupational rehabilitation, she has spent 20 years in the insurance industry, working in both workers' compensation and life insurance.

After joining AIA in 2014, Fox led the insurer's wellbeing customer value proposition, a big part of its shared value strategy. This initiative aims to providing support when people are unwell and help them recover before returning to work.

Fox has led wellness initiatives that help customers deal with issues like chronic pain, cancer recovery, and mental health challenges. By analysing claims data, she identified the top three causes of claims-chronic pain, cancer, and mental health challenges-and championed initiatives to support women during critical life phases.

She convened experts and stakeholders to discuss health equity and guided AIA's response to the senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause challenging existing approaches and making recommendations to the government. She also promoted programs to support women during significant life stages and brought together health experts to discuss health equity.

Furthermore, she guided AIA's response to the government inquiry into menopause and perimenopause and made new recommendations to Canberra Her collaborations with leading health providers have led to the creation of coaching services, support programs, and pain education initiatives, which have improved return-to-work rates and overall well-being for thousands of people.

In recognition of her efforts, she won Practitioner of the Year at the 2021 Shared Value Awards.

"It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside so many talented colleagues within AIA, super funds, and our shared value partners. As I step away, I feel proud of the legacy I leave behind and deeply grateful for the remarkable people who have been part of this journey," Fox stated.

She plans to take the next three months to travel and recharge before joining another purpose-driven company where she can make an impact in areas she is passionate about.

"In light of unprecedented social, environmental, and economic challenges, shared value is more crucial than ever, enabling businesses to drive growth while addressing societal needs," she posted to her LinkedIn community.

Meanwhile, a former AustralianSuper ESG specialist has joined the Circular Economy Alliance Australia - a group that aims to pave the way for a sustainable future by repurposing waste.

As an Alliance adviser, Kelly Christodoulou's role is to help organisations rethink their role in a circular future by driving awareness and shaping initiatives.

During her 15 years at the nation's biggest superannuation fund, she was variously tasked with leading due diligence on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and corporate deals, integrating sustainability risks and opportunities into final asset valuations while also managing high-level stakeholder engagement,

Earlier in her career, Christodoulou was an investment analyst at Credit Suisse and Australian Retirement Trust and worked on the private wealth trading floor at Morgan Stanley.

She also founded TreeFi, an AI-driven advisory firm that simplifies, automates, and optimises the carbon offsets verification process for afforestation projects.

Finally, a new report from the Australian Business Deans Council has identified critical shortages in climate-aligned skills like carbon reporting, climate risk, and sustainable finance.

Accordingly, the Australian Business Deans Council - the collective voice of Australian university business schools - urged them to move quickly to prepare graduates for roles that will power Australia's sustainable transition.

At the same time as the report's release, the UNSW Business School Centre for Social Impact announced the appointment of associate professor Mel Edwards, as the inaugural Climate Action Fellow for ABDC.

UNSW called the appointment a key leadership role helping to embed sustainability and social impact across business education.

Commenting on the appointment, Edwards noted the number of people at business schools the expertise to steer the needed transition.

"You don't have to be a climate scientist to move the economy to a cleaner, greener, net zero future," she said.

"I've been inspired by the business industry peak leaders who consider climate science, see the opportunities to decarbonise industries, and are preparing their members with the needed skills and capabilities."

Edwards joined UNSW about 18 months ago, following 16 years at the University of Technology.