Aon’s New Global Employee Engagement Initiative Kicks Off Today at Manchester United

CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon Corporation, the leading provider of global risk management solutions and human resource consulting and outsourcing (NYSE: AON), announced today the launch of its new and innovative employee and client engagement initiative, "Pass It On."

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(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100719/AQ37264LOGO )

"Pass It On" is a multi-faceted, global program that combines elements of employee engagement, community service and client partnerships to demonstrate to the world how Aon's 60,000 colleagues in over 120 countries focus every day on empowering results for their clients and communities.

"Pass It On" officially kicks off today at Old Trafford at half time of the derby between Manchester United and Manchester City. Manchester United Legends Denis Irwin, Bryan Robson and Gary Pallister will be on hand to support the launch.  Aon is the principal partner and global shirt sponsor of Manchester United.

The eight-month program begins on October 24 in three "start cities:" Hobart, Australia; Cape Town, South Africa; and Punta Arenas, Chile. Three regional route teams from Aon—Asia Pacific, EMEA, and the Americas—will compete for points as they pass Manchester United footballs along three transcontinental routes covering approximately 180,000 kilometers, nearly four-and-a-half times the Earth's circumference. The footballs will stop at Aon offices and other points of interest around the world.

In Africa, for example, the footballs will embark on a 35,000 kilometer mobile vehicle tour, moving across Africa from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt, visiting 40 African offices and participating in various charity and client events along the way.

(Click here to access photos of Africa's Pass It On vehicle).

The Africa footballs will meet up with the other teams' footballs in London in June 2012, where they will be auctioned off for charity at Aon's 25th Anniversary Gala Celebration at Lloyd's of London.

"We are a firm of inspired thinkers who use team work and innovation and who possess a relentless drive to live by our values and support the aspirations of others," said Greg Case, Aon's president and chief executive officer. "Pass It On will enable our colleagues to literally pass on what it means to be Aon—through our knowledge, service, values and client expertise. It is another step toward uniting our firm, and it will enable us to celebrate and take pride in the things we do every day to make a difference in the world."

As part of the interactive, online competition, colleagues in each Aon office will earn points for their team by submitting photos, videos and stories covering various aspects of Aon, including client success stories, colleague profiles and stories on local community service initiatives.

"Aon is a global firm of people helping people, and Pass It On is an extension of what we do every day in our work," said Greg Besio, executive vice president and chief human resources officer. "Through this program, we will leverage our global connectivity and enable our colleagues to develop and participate in local events that strengthen the bonds we have with our clients and demonstrate our commitment to supporting the communities where we work and live."    

As the balls pass through each office, Aon colleagues will celebrate the firm's commitment to the communities in which it serves by organizing local charitable activities and client events. For example, in Santiago, Aon Chile will host a community event to raise money for Padre Semeria Foundation, which operates safe homes for children. In Sydney, Australia, Aon's Women International Network group will host a client event featuring Dr. Lisa O'Brien, CEO of The Smith Family, a regional children's charity focused on education. Aon colleagues in Cape Town, South Africa, have coordinated a skills and drills football program for disadvantaged children with the official Manchester United Soccer School.

"Pass It On" is the second phase in Aon's global employee engagement program designed to engage the firm's colleagues, families and communities. Last year, Aon's inaugural "Follow the Football" initiative focused on the launch of its four-year global sponsorship with Manchester United.  

Nine official Manchester United footballs visited 50 Aon offices in 28 countries around the world and traveled 154,000 kilometers in nine months. One Aon colleague from each office who best embodied the traits in Aon's Leadership Model was selected to sign the football in their office. Aon hosted more than 70 global town hall meetings since engaging in the partnership in June 2009, and held its first annual Aon United REDy day in June 2010, where Aon colleagues more than 400 offices around the world participated in fundraising events and raised nearly $150,000 for over 200 unique charity partners.

To follow the Pass It On competition or learn more about the program, visit http://www.aonpassiton.com. You can also join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aoncorp, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aonunited and watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/aoncorporation. To read local press releases and access other media-ready materials, visit http://aon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=65.

About Aon

Aon Corporation (NYSE: AON) is the leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing. Through its more than 60,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to deliver distinctive client value via innovative and effective risk management and workforce productivity solutions. Aon's industry-leading global resources and technical expertise are delivered locally in over 120 countries. Named the world's best broker by Euromoney magazine's 2008, 2009 and 2010 Insurance Survey, Aon also ranked highest on Business Insurance's listing of the world's insurance brokers based on commercial retail, wholesale, reinsurance and personal lines brokerage revenues in 2008 and 2009. A.M. Best deemed Aon the number one insurance broker based on revenues in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and Aon was voted best insurance intermediary 2007-2010, best reinsurance intermediary 2006-2010, best captives manager 2009-2010, and best employee benefits consulting firm 2007-2009 by the readers of Business Insurance. Visit http://www.aon.com for more information on Aon and http://www.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon's global partnership and shirt sponsorship with Manchester United.

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SOURCE Aon Corporation