By Kehinde Ibrahim, Lagos
AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has intensified its environmental sustainability efforts with a waste-to-value initiative aimed at reducing the impact of waste on Lagos waterways while supporting healthcare access for vulnerable children.
The initiative, organised as part of the company’s annual AXA Week for Good programme under AXA Hearts in Action (AHIA), brought together employees, government representatives and stakeholders for an awareness walk and beach clean-up focused on the environmental and socio-economic consequences of improper waste disposal.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titi Oshodi, who participated in the awareness walk, commended AXA Mansard for demonstrating corporate commitment to climate action and promoting practical solutions to environmental challenges.
The AXA employees, under the “TrashToTreasure” initiative, collected recyclable waste from their homes, offices and surrounding communities and converted the proceeds into funds to support the provision of health insurance for vulnerable children through the Chess-In-Slums Africa Foundation.
Speaking during the awareness walk ahead of the beach clean-up in Lagos, Oshodi said the Lagos State Government valued partnerships with organisations that were committed to addressing the growing effects of climate change.
She said the state government was working towards achieving the governor’s vision of a zero-carbon Lagos by 2050, noting that the effects of climate change had become increasingly evident across the state.
“At the Lagos State Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy, our goal is to ensure that the governor’s vision for a zero-carbon Lagos by 2050 is not a mirage,” she said.
According to her, climate change had moved beyond being a theoretical concept, with its consequences increasingly affecting communities, particularly vulnerable populations.
She cited the Lagos State Climate Action Plan 2020–2025, which states that more than half of Lagos’ estimated 21 million residents live in informal settlements and are therefore highly exposed to the effects of climate change.
Oshodi also referenced the Lagos State Adaptation and Resilience Plan, which estimated the potential cost of climate inaction at between $22 billion and $29 billion, equivalent to about 11 times the state’s 2022 annual budget.
She therefore urged more private-sector organisations to complement government efforts by implementing practical measures that would strengthen environmental sustainability and community resilience.
“When we see partners like AXA Mansard doing more than just raising awareness but getting their employees to act for the climate, we must commend them because we want them to do more as we journey to our vision 2050,” she said.
Oshodi particularly praised the “TrashToTreasure” initiative, describing it as an example of how environmental action could generate social and economic benefits.
She noted that the initiative aligned with the objectives of the state’s circular economy agenda because it went beyond waste collection to demonstrate how discarded materials could be converted into value.
“I am especially delighted because of this year’s commemoration theme, TrashToTreasure. This theme fits well with the ambition of my office to ensure that we address the challenges of climate change, not just by awareness and advocacy, but to entrench circularity into the mix,” she said.
According to her, the conversion of waste into funds for health insurance for vulnerable children demonstrated the broader potential of circular economy principles.
She described the initiative as a model that combined environmental protection with social intervention, noting that the approach could contribute to addressing multiple challenges simultaneously.
Responding to the state government’s support, the Chief Client Officer of AXA Mansard, Rashidat Adebisi, said the company remained committed to implementing its sustainability agenda and ensuring that its climate-related initiatives produced tangible benefits for communities.
Adebisi said AXA Mansard’s sustainability efforts were driven by the broader objective of protecting vulnerable populations and contributing to a safer, healthier and more prosperous society.
“We are delighted and encouraged to have you here today as we once again collectively express our purpose of acting for human progress by protecting what matters,” she said.
She explained that AXA’s global focus for the year was centred on protecting water bodies, prompting the Nigerian operation to develop activities aimed at reducing waste entering waterways and increasing public awareness about the consequences of water pollution.
“This year, our focus in AXA is on protecting our water bodies. So, at AXA Nigeria, we decided to focus on removing waste from the water and increasing awareness about the impact of waste on water,” she said.
According to Adebisi, improper waste disposal has significant health, environmental, social and economic consequences, particularly in densely populated cities such as Lagos.
She noted that indiscriminate dumping of waste could contribute to blocked drainage channels and flooding, resulting in the destruction of homes and businesses as well as disruption to economic activities.
“The impact of waste on water is enormous. It has health, environmental, social, and economic ramifications. We have seen the impact of waste on flooding and the socio-economic losses of homes, businesses, and lives that come in its wake,” she said.
Adebisi added that polluted water also posed significant public health risks, reinforcing the need for greater collaboration among government, businesses, communities and individuals to tackle waste management challenges.
She said AXA Mansard had therefore made water protection a key focus of its activities under the annual AXA Week for Good programme.
The initiative extended beyond Lagos, with hundreds of employees across Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt volunteering to participate in awareness activities, waste collection and clean-up exercises.
According to Adebisi, the level of employee participation demonstrated the importance the company attached to sustainability and community engagement.
“This is why we have focused on water waste, and we remain proud of how much our employees are doing for this cause. Across Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, hundreds of our employees volunteered to raise awareness for this initiative. They joined in collecting waste and participated in the beach clean-up,” she said.
She added that the company would continue to provide the leadership, resources and support required to enable its employees to contribute meaningfully to environmental and social causes.
“For us, this is what AXA Hearts in Action represents, and we remain committed to providing the right leadership and support for our employees to continue to give expression to this shared purpose,” Adebisi said.
The beach clean-up and waste-to-value campaign underscore the growing role of private-sector organisations in supporting efforts to address environmental challenges in Lagos, particularly as the state continues to contend with flooding, waste management pressures and the vulnerability of communities located around waterways.
By linking environmental action with healthcare support for vulnerable children, AXA Mansard’s “TrashToTreasure” initiative also highlights how corporate sustainability programmes can be designed to deliver both environmental and social impact.
