Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein launched the Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience in 2012. The prestigious Gold, Silver and Bronze awards are presented to VIG Group insurance companies in recognition of their outstanding commitment to social initiatives. The prize money for these three Günter Geyer Awards for Social Conscience totals EUR 100,000. It must be earmarked for charitable causes and social initiatives, and is provided entirely by Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein.
Slovak Kooperativa: GOLD for social responsibility in action
Social responsibility and sustainability are core values of Slovak Kooperativa. Together with its own foundation, it implements numerous projects in the areas of environment, education and social inclusion. Kooperativa employees are actively involved in local communities: as part of 55 environmental projects, they have created new green spaces, planted raised beds and created rain gardens. Each project involved at least three employees, supported by a grant from the foundation.
Teaching future skills
Important impulses have also been provided in the area of digital education: DigiPEER trains young people to become experts in cyber security and digital literacy. As peer trainers, they then pass on their newly acquired knowledge to their fellow students. The aim is to sustainably raise awareness of safe and respectful behaviour in the digital space. The young peer trainers are supported by mentors from the cybersecurity industry throughout their work. The programme has been expanded nationwide to reach as many young people as possible. Another important educational project is the FinQ programme, which teaches children and young people financial literacy. Teaching materials, an educational portal and certification programmes help to impart and strengthen knowledge about the responsible use of money at an early stage.
Civic engagement
Kooperativa was also involved in charitable work: in cooperation with the Municipal Rental Agency (MNA), it helped people in need of housing. In 2023, ten families were able to move into secure housing. Kooperativa poisťovňa is being honoured with the 2024 Gold Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience for its outstanding social commitment.
SILVER for Croatian Wiener osiguranje: mental health and volunteering
Croatian Wiener osiguranje was awarded with the silver Günter Geyer Prize for Social Conscience in 2024. Mental health issues among children and young people are a growing challenge in Croatia. To raise awareness and provide support, Wiener osiguranje launched the educational platform ‘Mentalna Higijena’ (in English ‘Mental Hygiene’).
Learning mental strength through play
Here, mental ‘hygiene’ is explained to children in a creative way – e.g. with soap and hairbrushes. Over 70 educational videos and articles were produced in collaboration with the public advice centre Brave Phone. The content was optimised according to TikTok trends in order to reach the young target group in the best possible way. In 2023, the offering was expanded to include interactive elements, including the nationwide school competition ‘Little School of Mental Hygiene’, with 94 primary schools taking part. While experts held live workshops on mental health in the winning schools, creative students were rewarded with the opportunity to meet project ambassadors. A meet-up event with children, influencers and experts, which received widespread media attention, provided a further highlight.
Doing good together
The ‘Wolunteer Club’, founded in 2021, is testament to the fact that volunteering is a key concern for Wiener osiguranje employees. It coordinates and bundles volunteer activities and also encourages employees to participate. From distributing school bags and household appliances to those in need, to renovating houses destroyed by earthquakes, to cleaning beach promenades and much more – the range of volunteer activities is wide-ranging! In this way, 15 non-profit organisations were supported through 21 volunteer actions. In 2023, another internal charity event was held: the Jingle & Mingle Vienna Christmas market as part of the ‘Social Active Day’. The collected donations were given to local charities.
For a better society: Serbian Wiener Städtische Osiguranje honoured with BRONZE
Social engagement is a central component of the corporate culture of Wiener Städtische Osiguranje in Serbia. As part of the group-wide ‘Social Active Day’, numerous employees are involved in social, ecological and educational projects. Particular attention is paid to supporting marginalised groups. For example, activities were organised in several children’s and youth homes to bring joy to young people in difficult life situations and offer them support. Financial support was also provided to a number of procets for the benefit of people in need.
Sustainable commitment
Environmental and nature conservation measures are also at the center of the to Wiener Städtische Osiguranje’s activities: employees actively participated in cleaning river and hiking trails. In cooperation with the popular TV series ‘Serbia on Foot‘, the sustainable commitment was also made visible in the media. In addition, two bicycle stations were donated as part of the Ekoopština environmental project to encourage municipalities to take environmentally conscious initiatives.
Strengthening (financial) education
Another focus was on educational projects: targeted initiatives promoted financial and risk literacy among young people, while the ‘My Best Years’ programme strengthened women in the second half of their lives in the areas of health, personal responsibility and entrepreneurship. In addition, schools were renovated and signposts for the blind were installed in the Ovčarsko-Kablar Gorge. Wiener Städtische Osiguranje received the Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience in bronze for its work in support of Serbian civil society.
