AXA, the French multinational insurance giant, is the official training partner of Liverpool FC, one of the world's prestigious football clubs.  

According to AXA's website, this partnership is "built on shared values: both AXA and Liverpool FC work with integrity and courage, having strong moral and ethical principles." 

This statement is brought into question however after AXA was named on the latest report published in December 2023 by the joint initiative "Don't Buy Into Occupation (DBIO)".  

https://dontbuyintooccupation.org/

DBIO is a coalition of 25 civil society organisations across Europe. They've come together to investigate and expose the financial relationships between businesses involved in the illegal Israeli settlement enterprise in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and European Financial Institutions (FIs). 

Israeli settlements, their maintenance and expansion are illegal under international law and constitute acts which give rise to individual criminal liability as war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

DBIO's report found financial relationships between 776 European FIs and 51 companies that are involved in Israeli settlements. These 51 companies are captured in the UN database of business enterprises which are engaged in “listed activities that raise particular human rights concerns” relating to the illegal settlements.  

Worryingly, DBIO's report ranked AXA 22nd amongst the top European investors in these 51 UN-listed companies active in the illegal settlements of the OPT and enabling the forced displacement of Palestinian communities, an international war crime. 

As lifelong Liverpool FC supporters and football fans more generally, we find it morally disconcerting that while AXA's logo is conspicuously branded across the clothing of players and coaching staff, the same logo may be associated with violations of international human rights law and potential international crimes against the Palestinan people.  

The club's sustainability programme, "The Red Way", sets out its commitment to build a better future for people, planet and communities, recognising the great responsibility that comes with being such a globally celebrated football club. Liverpool FC is steeped in a history of engaging with its local, national and international communities; striving to lead the way when it comes to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Unfortunately, AXA's involvement with illegal Israeli settlement activity, which is exclusionary by design, is in direct contradiction with these principles.  

We, the undersignatories, call on Liverpool FC's Board and Executive Management to note these deep concerns and take urgent appropriate action. This should start with a call for a transparent public response from AXA in light of DBIO's report.  

Secondly, AXA should be reminded that international financial institutions, including banks and pension funds, also have a responsibility under the UN Guiding Principes and OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD Guidelines) to use their leverage through meaningful, time bound engagement to ensure their investee companies act responsibly and in line with international law standards, and to divest from those who do not. 

Third, in the absence of co-operation from AXA on this issue, the club's Board should critically review the sponsorship relationship to safeguard its long-held global reputation of standing up for human rights and justice.