[GRI 103-2], [GRI 103-3]
“Close to people and their needs”
The PZU Foundation has carried out the PZU Group’s philanthropic activities forming part of its social involvement strategy since 2004. The aim of the Foundation is to promote education of children and youth, support talents and equalize opportunities for people who, for various reasons, suffer from impediments, as well as to increase access to cultural and social goods, that is to further the broadly defined development of civic society. The Foundation collaborates with non-governmental organizations, both home and abroad, institutions, sports clubs, schools and higher education institutions and assists the execution of projects in terms of substance, organization and finance.
BEST PRACTICE
Aid to natural persons
The PZU Foundation awards subsidies to natural persons in a difficult life situation. It supports them mainly by financing treatment (including surgeries performed abroad), rehabilitation, purchase of medication and rehabilitation equipment. In 2020, subsidies were awarded to 455 individuals.
Volunteerism
The Employee Volunteerism Program has been in operation in PZU since 2012. Every year the PZU Foundation organizes two, spring and autumn, editions of the contest entitled “Volunteerism means the joy of action”, and awards grants of up to PLN 5 thousand. Every employee who would like to get involved in helping others and exert an impact on his or her surroundings can submit a contest application.
In 2020, as a result of the pandemic, only one (autumn) edition of the contest was held.
As part of the volunteering activities, PZU employees implemented 65 original projects and devoted 6,743 hours to their volunteering work in 2020. They helped 11,427 beneficiaries (including: 6,224 children and youth; 4,780 adults; 355 ill, disabled, elderly people; 68 homeless people). Their aid reached also 837 animals in need.
Grant contests are programs addressed to nongovernmental organizations, whose activity is consistent with the areas of activity of the PZU Foundation and the scope defined in the regulations of the individual contests. Non-governmental organizations as defined in the Act of 24 April 2003 on Public Benefit and Voluntary Activity, i.e. foundations, associations, student sports clubs implementing projects in rural areas and small towns, which have the best knowledge of local problems. Such knowledge of critical needs of small communities is a guarantee that the planned activities will be implemented correctly. PZU Foundation has been running nationwide subsidy contests continuously for 16 years, in which it assists non-governmental organizations in implementing projects for the benefit of local communities in small towns and villages. The “After School with the PZU Foundation” contest supports organizations that develop interesting and creative additional activities for children and youth. The “Young Able Disabled with the PZU Foundation” contest supports activities that increase self-sufficiency and activity of disabled persons, while the “PZU Foundation with Culture” contest expands access to high culture. In 2020, grants were awarded to carry out 70 projects that benefited 6,029 people. There are plans to organize subsequent editions of the following contests: “After School with the PZU Foundation”, “Young Able Disabled with the PZU Foundation”, “PZU Foundation with Culture”.
The PZU Group’s Employee Volunteerism Rules and Regulations are in force in PZU and PZU Życie.
Selected examples of employees’ volunteerism activities in 2020:
BEST PRACTICE
Campaign for animal shelters
The PZU Foundation engaged in helping animal shelters which faced financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and needed not only money, but also volunteer support.
The PZU Foundation helped 20 establishments taking care of homeless animals by financing the purchase of 321 dry food bags and 3,125 wet food cans. The establishments received also hay, litter and litter boxes for cats, surgical instruments, feeding racks for horses, cleaning products and safety gloves, collars and leashes. In some shelters, veterinary services, medicines for animals and formulations against fleas and ticks were financed.
The campaign was joined also by Bank Pekao and Alior Bank. The joint effort resulted in donating nearly PLN 500 thousand for animals from 60 shelters across Poland. The PZU Group has provided financial aid to animal shelters for years and our employees take care of the animals living there as part of employee volunteerism.
The PZU branch in Ukraine supports social projects for the development of aid to the disabled and their adaptation in the society. In 2020, the Ukrainian branch provided financial assistance to the “People help people” charity campaign the purpose of which was to raise funds for people with various needs.
BEST PRACTICE
Collaboration with organizations providing psychological support, including during the pandemic
The aim of the PZU Foundation is to subsidize social aid undertakings, which consist, among others, in providing psychological support to youth, families, the elderly, people with chronic illnesses and all who have suffered e.g. in the difficult situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Foundation strives for ensuring equal opportunities for people from poor and dysfunctional families as regards access to psychological counseling or support. In 2020, the Foundation subsidized 16 projects submitted by the organizations which had prepared actions related to psychological support addressed to various social groups: children and youth, the elderly, the ill, prisoners and their families as well as refugees. The activities were conducted in various forms: from therapy to workshops to face-to-face and group meetings to telephone and online counseling. Thanks to the PZU Foundation’s financial assistance, the psychological support was used by almost 4,300 individuals.
KEY FIGURES for PZU and PZU Życie
Marzena Wyszyńska, a PZU employee from Dąbrowa Górnicza, executed 11 volunteerism projects in 2020
“I have always felt the need to help others. The PZU Foundation has turned my dreams of helping others into reality. Nowadays, when insensitivity to another human being has become the every-day reality, each instance of support and impartiality is worth its weight in gold. Helping children is invaluable. Volunteerism brings lots of joy and with every completed project you want more and more. The benefits coming from volunteerism have gone far beyond my expectations. The initial fear and doubts have given way to great fun, interesting tasks and, first of all, smiling and pleased children, who can enjoy the effects of the projects. I am so happy to be able to fulfill myself by helping others as a volunteer.
In 2020, I implemented many projects for Municipal Kindergarten No. 1 in Poręba and the Child and Family Assistance Center in Góra Włodowska.
For the Kindergarten:
- Creative kindergarteners – manual construction games – organization of manual activities, purchase of toys supporting motor and logical thinking skills;
- Fruit and vegetables are healthy vitamins – organization of classes for 3-year-olds;
- Fine motor skills – Finer development of a kindergartener – preparation of a busy board for 3-year-olds to improve their fine motor skills;
- An eco-game “Picking and Reusing Garbage” – classes in segregation and reuse of waste;
- We learn about professions – organization of classes for 5-year-olds to familiarize them with the profession of a firefighter, police officer, doctor, hairdresser and musician.
For the Child and Family Assistance Center in Góra Włodowska;
- A sharp cut and a pancake party – organization of classes, purchase of a pancake maker, purchase of hair clippers;
- Renovation of the SPARTA computer and leisure room, i.e. the day room;
- Renovation of the dining room in the Child and Family Assistance Center in Góra Włodowska;
- The Floor Revolution and Color OUR HOME, i.e. renovation of bedrooms;
- The Feast of Saint Nicholas Night – organization of the Saint Nicholas Day’s party for children.”
Agnieszka Kłosowska, a PZU employee from Dąbrowa Górnicza, volunteerism projects in 2020
“I have caught the bug! I have met lots of exceptional, interesting and wonderful people. Employee volunteerism not only brings benefits to those who receive the disinterested aid but also contributes to developing teamwork skills and reinforcing coworker relationships, which means a benefit for me, too. I have learned to listen to others and I can definitely manage my time more efficiently now. Volunteerism has changed my life for better. I can see other people’s problems more easily and mine have diminished.
I implemented the following projects in 2020:
- Talent factory – preparation of thematic stands for children. The purpose was to promote positive traits, attitudes, skills and talents through diverse forms of children’s activity;
- Sensory workshops – refurbishment of a classroom for children;
- A colorful corner – refurbishment of a playground;
- Colorful notes – preparation of music workshops for children;
- I have 5 senses – preparation of a sensory activity corner, organization of activities for children with various disabilities;
- The power of fairy tales – refurbishment of the school library and preparation of reading activities for children;
- In the Santa Claus land – organization of a party for children, decoration of the school and a Christmas tree.”
BEST PRACTICE
AAS BALTA employees for children from foster families
In Latvia, a few thousand children live in foster families. AAS BALTA has been cooperating with “Bērnu rīts” (“Children’s morning”), a charitable organization, for six years. Twice a year, it engages its employees in donations allocated to purchases of school supplies in September, as a school year begins, and to presents in response to the letters sent by children to Santa Claus in the Christmas time. Before the school year started, AAS BALTA employees took care of 15 children from foster families and, as part of a Christmas donation, gave presents to 50 children from 3 foster families.
AAS BALTA supports Latvian large familiesIn Latvia, there are thousands families raising three or more children, but their economic situation is often difficult. AAS BALTA has joined the “Goda ģimene” (“Honorary Family”) program, which gathers socially responsible enterprises, that is ones offering large discounts to such families. Under this program, AAS BALTA gives discounts of up to 40% for insurance policies to families holding the “Goda ģimene” card. AAS BALTA’s offer is available to more than 43 thousand parents who participate in the “Goda ģimene” program.
AAS BALTA engages its corporate partners in Christmas donations for charities
Every year, around the Christmas time, AAS BALTA Corporate Sales Department, instead of giving presents to its business partners, encourages them to select the charities to be given money by the company. The business partners resign from company presents in favor of providing support to those who need it most. The partners vote for the selected charities and AAS BALTA makes proportional donations to each of them. In 2020, AAS BALTA provided EUR 10 thousand in total to three non-governmental organizations:
- “Dr. Klauns” (Dr. Clown), which supports little patients in their treatment process thus making them smile;
- “Our table”, which ensures daily hot meals for doctors fighting COVID-19;
- “Latvian Children Foundation”, which organizes summer camps for disadvantaged children.
BALTA is planning to engage its partners also in 2021 and thus continue its activities for charities.
AAS BALTA employees as school teachers in the “Ready for Life” program
For the second year in a row, five AAS BALTA employees, insurance experts and risk insurers, turn into teachers who prepare and run lessons in Mathematics and Economics for more than 500 students of 20 classes in 10 upper-secondary schools. This is how they show young people how the skills obtained at school can be applied in selected professions.
BEST PRACTICE
Cooperation with the Zaczytani.org Foundation
Alior Bank has been the strategic partner of the Zaczytani.org Foundation since 2019. Its mission is readership promotion and social education. Moreover, the fairytale therapy provided by the Foundation’s volunteers in hospitals contributes to a higher health and life quality. The activities pursued together with the Foundation implement the #HigherCulture motto, which is incorporated into the Bank’s social and sponsorship activities. Alior Bank, while supporting the Zaczytani.org Foundation, at the same time supports the development of education, culture and readership in Poland and contributes to caring for the quality of health. The sixth edition of the nationwide social campaign of the Zaczytani.org Foundation had a recordbreaking reach. Institutions, enterprises, schools and other establishments from 259 towns and cities engaged in collecting books! A public and internal collection of books was held by the total number of 961 establishments, which managed to collect 294,000 books! The best result in terms of the number of books collected by one institution was achieved by Alior Bank, the strategic partner of the Zaczytani.org Foundation, which collected 57,000 books in its 158 branches and partner centers!
BEST PRACTICE
First job project
Through its cooperation with selected institutions, Bank Pekao has commenced skill-based volunteerism entitled “First job”. The initiative has been prepared for charges of institutions, including those from SOS Children’s Villages, who enter adulthood. It covers, among others, a workshop run by a recruitment specialist, an expert lecture on labor law and educational material for the participants. A project participant learns what the recruitment process looks like and how to prepare for it and what rights new employees have.
The information obtained from survey questionnaires filled out by the class participants after their completion was adopted as the indicator of the initiative’s effectiveness. The questionnaire was completed by 33 individuals, whose opinions were used for modifying the scope of the material. Another source of information was consultation with representatives of the SOS Children’s Villages Association (director, form-masters), who were present at the classes.
The experiences gained by the volunteers during the meeting with the charges of the SOS Village in Karlino were used in the #SelfRELIANT project executed by the PFR Foundation and experts from the Central House of Technology. The initiative encompassed training, workshops and the “development voucher” for 30 charges from children’s homes all over Poland.
BEST PRACTICE
Urban renewal of Łódź
TUW PZUW supports the sustainable development of Łódź: beautiful heritage townhouses are being transformed through renewal. The grim reality of the postindustrial Łódź is changing to offer the sight of magnificent buildings. The renewal of townhouses and urban spaces in Łódź consists in renovating old ruined buildings while preserving the original bodies, highlighting decorations and protecting them from damage.
TUW PZUW has provided prevention funds for purchasing and installing safety nets on 14 Łódź townhouses, which have been designated to undergo major renovations or be dismantled due to their poor physical condition. The buildings are situated close to busy streets or sidewalks in places frequented by pedestrians. Securing the townhouses means optimizing the risk of damage (a car damaged by a balcony slab that has fallen down, an accident involving residents of Łódź, tourists).
By supporting the Łódź townhouse renewal project, TUW PZUW contributes to the increase in the number of council apartments and Łódź has a chance to act in line with the city’s mission to “free the potential of the center of Łódź and its inhabitants” by achieving social cohesion, changing the image of the city and its center.
BEST PRACTICE
PZU is continuing its Large Family Card (KDR) Program, which is a discount scheme for large families with at least three children. KDR enables them to use e.g. cultural, recreational, transport, financial offers across Poland.
The agreement signed in 2020 will apply until 2022, which means undisturbed continuation of the Partnership entered into in April 2018. As part of the Partnership, PZU, PZU Życie and PZU Zdrowie provide KDR holders with the possibility to use the PZU offer on preferential terms (e.g. discounts for selected non-life insurance policies and health services). By maintaining its involvement in KDR, the company has reinforced its image of an organization engaged in crucial social, demographic and economic problems and expressed its concern about the conditions facilitating the development of a family-based society. It has given parents from large families access to selected products at the same time providing them with real financial aid.
The preventive and sponsorship activities have been surveyed in terms of the image of the PZU brand and competitive brands in the “Source of education on safety” area and efficiency of PZU’s sponsorship activities. The main goal of the survey was to determine how PZU’s social, preventive and sponsorship actions and activities translate to the assessment of PZU’s image. In the survey, PZU asked also whether prevention activities had real impact on the improvement of safety. The survey was carried out between 16 and 19 October 2020.
Key conclusions:
- PZU’s social commitment is recognizable and appreciated by Poles.
- Nearly 40% of the respondents are aware of PZU’s social involvement.
- Over 40% of them believe that, through its activities, PZU sufficiently engages in social, prevention and sponsorship campaigns.
- 54% of the respondents have encountered a social, prevention or sponsorship campaign organized by PZU.
- The most recognizable PZU’s campaigns include: “Safe holidays”, “Are you driving? Then put the phone down!”, support for the GOPR/WOPR rescue services and for the organization of Tour de Pologne.
The survey participants indicated that PZU should engage in the purchase of medical equipment for people injured in accidents, promote safety on the road and support emergency services, that is they pointed to the actions the insurer has taken for years.