Working with voluntary organisations we give our time, money and skills to help the most disadvantaged people in society achieve a more independent future for themselves.
Our employees really value the opportunity that Zurich gives them to play an active role in local and overseas communities.
For the business, community involvement offers innovative team building and personal development opportunities, improved employee morale, increased pride in the community and an enhanced reputation.
In 2010, through the Zurich Cares programme, which is jointly funded by Zurich and Zurich employees:
• 3,000 Zurich employees volunteered over 35,000 hours which was worth around £700,000 to charities if they had had to pay for it.
• 125 of those volunteers regularly ring a vulnerable older person a part of the Call in Time programme. This is a befriending service run in partnership with Age UK to address the feeling of loneliness which is too often expressed by people over the age of 65.
• Organised our 21st year of Challenge, our annual team volunteering event in which 206 team projects were undertaken by Zurich employees across the UK. Projects ranged from DIY and gardening tasks to helping to run charity events and organising days out for local charities.
• Over £500,000 was raised by Zurich employees through Round Pound, the Zurich Cares Lottery and Give As You Earn.
• Zurich won the National Payroll Giving Excellence Awards for Best Large Employer Campaign. 24% of Zurich’s employees donate to Give As You Earn through their payroll.
• 94% of Zurich Community Trust’s giving was in the UK with 6% going Overseas. As part of this, £70,000 was awarded to 3 charities supporting some of the poorest communities in India, Africa & Eastern Europe through the Zurich Cares Overseas Grants programme.
More about our grant giving policy
More about our volunteering programme
