People
At Zurich, it matters that people believe they matter.
At the Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich), we know the value of insurance and how to weather the impact of risk. It’s what we do. Insurance creates value for people by allowing them to manage change. It enables individuals and businesses to protect themselves from risk and to create a brighter future – whether that’s in their homes, at work or in their communities.
When we talk about people, sustainability at Zurich relates to the way we treat our employees; our interactions with customers; and our support of the most vulnerable members of society in collaboration with the Z Zurich Foundation.
We empower our employees to grow their talents, giving them the chance to acquire new skills and refresh their existing ones, and providing a network of senior mentors. We take great pride in recruiting internally and aim to further increase the share of internal hires during the cycle 2023-2025.
We embrace diversity and inclusion – not least because diverse minds create more innovation and feed the success of an enterprise. We lead by example, which is why our Board of Directors is composed of an equal number of men and women. And why the number of women in senior management roles is up by 7 percentage points since 2017 to 29 percent at the end of 2022.
Within our own organization, we prioritize employee wellbeing. Access to our health app LiveWell is also becoming part of our employee benefits packages with big corporates. And customers of Zurich UK benefit from access to a confidential counseling service.
Our charitable foundation, the Z Zurich Foundation, focuses on mental wellbeing, social equity and climate change adaptation, helping people thrive in the face of adversity through targeted community investment.
At Zurich, it matters that people believe they matter.
Insurance creates value for people
A sustainable approach to working
As an insurer, we take a long-term perspective. We’re focused on future-proofing individuals and our organization. Our sustainable approach to working supports our people to get the most from their careers, expand their skills and deliver what customers need – both now and in the future.
We are creating a work environment where people can feel engaged, inspired, energized – and want to work for Zurich. Such an environment is a place where:
- We live our values and lead with purpose.
- We commit to diversity, equity and fairness in all we do.
- We celebrate unique contributions and perspectives.
- We support each other to thrive.
- We deliver a meaningful employee experience.
A sustainable approach to work covers the following focus areas: careers and work; diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; and wellbeing.
Careers and work
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
The Life and Health challenge centers on finding innovative, long-term solutions to meet the diverse and evolving needs of customers throughout their lives. We seek ideas that boost insurance awareness, enhance customization, improve customer experience, streamline distribution, and drive innovation to benefit Zurich and its partners in the health and life insurance sector.
Wellbeing
The health and wellbeing of employees is paramount at Zurich, and we want to take care of people to the best possible extent. Growing together in a culture that empowers everyone to focus on their physical, emotional, social and financial wellbeing enables them to thrive as the best versions of themselves.
Health and safety
Zurich is dedicated to providing a working environment that supports employees’ physical and mental health and wellbeing. Effective management of health and safety will help our employees to perform better in serving our customers and in turn creating added value for all our stakeholders.
Community
A fundamental part of social wellbeing is how we connect with our local communities, including through volunteering and other initiatives.
Putting people at the heart of our People Sustainability commitment, we are committed to investing in our communities, working closely with the Z Zurich Foundation1 and through the efforts of our local offices around the world. We share our resources and expertise to help build more resilient communities, adding value beyond our core business activity. For example, we help communities to reduce flood risks, working with the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance members to secure lives and livelihoods.
Our community programs provide opportunities for employees to gain new experience and skills.
Support for Ukraine
Zurich and the Z Zurich Foundation have set in place various initiatives to help the huge numbers of people impacted by the war in Ukraine. Discover what we are doing for those who have stayed and those who have fled.
Blue Marble Microinsurance
Zurich Insurance Group is a founding member of Blue Marble Microinsurance, with a mission of providing socially impactful, commercially viable insurance protection to the underserved. Penny Seach, Group Chief Underwriting Officer, is a member of the Board of Blue Marble Micro Limited.
1The Z Zurich Foundation is a Swiss-based charitable foundation established by members of the Zurich Insurance Group. It is the main vehicle by which Zurich Insurance Group delivers on its global community investment strategy.