The things our staff do

The Zurich Community Trust runs a number of programmes to encourage and support Zurich's employees to do their part to make a better world. All bring tremendous benefits to the voluntary organisations and the people they work with.  Around 2,700 Zurich employees volunteer their time and skills to charitable organisations across the UK. 

Here’s how our people get involved:

 

• An annual team-building Challenge – we invite voluntary organisations to submit one-off, mainly practical projects which teams of employees take up. Examples include DIY, gardening, and day trips.   Around 200 team challenges were taken on across Zurich locations in the UK last year.  Now in its 22nd year, Challenge is proving as popular as ever!
• Assignments – management development projects for senior staff, with our partners in India and the UK.

 

• Skillshare projects – employees share their skills in areas such as marketing, information technology, finance and human resources with voluntary organisations. Click here if you would like to apply for a Skillshare for your organisation.
• Becoming a school governor or charity trustee – employees are encouraged to take up positions on management committees of schools and voluntary organisations.

 

• Virtual volunteering – we have two types of virtual volunteering projects.  One is A Call in Time, where staff volunteer to call an older person supported by Help the Aged, once or twice a week to check on their wellbeing and to offer a friendly ear.  The second is where a member of staff donates their business skills to one of our India partners via email, phone or video conference to help improve the way the charity operates. 
• Lunchtime volunteering – employees give up their lunchtimes each week to help children develop their reading, writing and maths skills.
• Other annual events – these include support for disadvantaged people over Christmas and Easter with the collection of presents, toiletries, helping out at Christmas shelters and Easter Egg collections.
• Charity committees – employees and financial advisers assess grants and organise fundraising events and volunteering activities. Click here to go to the grant guidelines and application form in the 'are you eligible' section.
• Mentoring – senior employees act as mentors for voluntary organisations.

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