Help for those in social need
Identifying and managing risks is our business. From our work we know that there is no absolutely certain protection. Again and again we will find people who by no fault of their own have fallen on hard times from which they can no longer escape by their own efforts.
Munich Re's social commitment
Munich Re helps people in difficult situations, those to whom fate has dealt a hard blow and who have lost their bearings: The Munich society "Schwestern und Brüder vom heiligen Benedikt Labre" (Sisters and Brothers of St. Benedict Labre) is exemplary in giving practical assistance to such people, offering the homeless a roof over their heads. In 2006 Munich Re helped with the purchase and renovation of a new house in Munich that offers the homeless a chance to start over.
Helping people to help themselves is the best form of support. Those who grant long-term assistance in the form of alms, often only perpetuate need. We thus examine our relief work very carefully, looking for ways to break through the cycle and turn help into self-help. We are supporting a kindergarten that is being built in Orange Farm Township by Johannesburg. In all, 29 students of architecture from the Technical University in Munich are planning the building in a two-semester project and carrying out construction from their drawings together with local craftsmen. They work in cooperation with local authorities and social workers, to ensure that the buildings will be accepted by the future users from the start.
The tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia in 2004 sparked a spontaneous relief campaign. Staff members from all units and companies of the Munich Re Group made donations to this cause, and Munich Re supplemented the amount donated. The donation was used among other things to finance an SOS children’s village in south India, which primarily helps families affected by the tsunami in a social centre.
"Victorians" help
It is mostly children who suffer from military conflicts. The focus of the organisation "Victorianer helfen e.V." today is to help to reduce the suffering of children who have been injured by land mines. Together with the Protestant Hospital in Düsseldorf, "Friedensdorf International" in Oberhausen and the "Hammer Forum" in Hamm, they provide children from various nations who have been victimised by war with medical and psychological care. The children then return to their homelands, countries like Afghanistan, Angola or Croatia.
The association was first created to provide effective and unbureaucratic help for people in the eastern federal states of Germany after the opening of the wall. Since that time over 4,000 field service and desk employees have been contributing a few cents of their salaries and commissions every month, along with an additional €1.50. The Executive Board of Victoria then adds half as much again.
D.A.S. helps
In the summer of 2002 Germany experienced a flood disaster of rare dimensions. The disaster triggered a D.A.S. Insurance initiative, which was launched as a joint effort of the Executive Board and entire works council "We at D.A.S. help".
In addition to helping German flood victims through charity projects, D.A.S. supports people in need and those who have fallen on hard times with numerous donations.
The Dr. Hans-Jürgen Schinzler Foundation promotes corporate volunteering
The Dr. Hans-Jürgen Schinzler Foundation strives to serve as a platform for new initiatives, to bring together people who are interested in organising and participating in charitable projects (corporate volunteering). The Foundation was created in 2004 as a joint effort of former Chairman of the Board of Management and current Supervisory Board Chairman, Dr. Schinzler, and the Board of Management of Munich Re.
The aim of the Schinzler Foundation is to support voluntary work undertaken by the staff of Munich Re for the benefit of society. This ranges from projects to help children and young people to helping the homeless, the elderly and the disabled. Corporate volunteering receives vigorous support from our company through the Schinzler Foundation. A growing number of charitable projects have benefited from this, particularly in Germany, Latin America and Asia.