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.
GOLD for Turkish Ray Sigorta: Hope through education after the earthquake disaster
The devastating earthquakes that shook large parts of southern Turkey in February 2023 left behind massive destruction and deeply affected the lives of thousands of families. The Hatay region was particularly hard hit, with the Akarca Primary School building in İskenderun completely destroyed. For many children, this meant not only the loss of a familiar place of learning, but also a painful disruption to their everyday lives and future prospects.
Ray Sigorta Umut Primary School
Against this backdrop, the Turkish Ray Sigorta sent a strong signal of solidarity and social responsibility. To give the affected children safe access to education again, a new, modern, and safe school building was constructed. The Ray Sigorta Umut Primary School, equipped with five classrooms, offers a place of learning for around 125 pupils per year. The official opening of the Ray Sigorta Umut Primary School in September 2024 marked an important milestone in the reconstruction of the region.
Volunteering that makes a difference
This project was largely supported by the commitment of Ray Sigorta employees, who demonstrated their solidarity in 2023 by collecting voluntary contributions for the affected regions as part of an internal fundraising campaign. These funds were supplemented by additional financial support from VIG Holding. With the construction of the new primary school, Ray Sigorta is making a lasting contribution as a sign of solidarity with the affected areas. Ray Sigorta will be awarded the 2025 Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience in Gold for its extraordinary social commitment.
SILVER for Polish Compensa: Commitment to children and social cohesion
The fact that Polish Compensa has a strong commitment for children is demonstrated by two key initiatives: Education & Safety, which teaches children about road safety and first aid, and Volunteering & Donation, which combines sporting activities with practical help for disadvantaged children.
Safety begins with awareness
As part of Education & Safety, Compensa invited more than 1,000 elementary schools throughout Poland to participate in the “Young Safety Heroes” competition. Students in grades 5 to 8 taught younger children about road safety and first aid in a creative and playful way. 100 schools actively participated, and ten teams received awards. The campaign reached a total of around 65,000 children. Compensa organized safety festivals in the respective communities for the award-winning schools, offering first aid training, accident as well as reaction simulators, and play and learning stations. In addition, e-learning courses, medical check-up stations for visitors and publicly accessible AED defibrillators were provided.
Because social commitment matters
Compensa employees also made a strong mark in the area of volunteering and donations: numerous colleagues took part in sporting fundraising events for cancer patients (Onco run) and SOS Children's Villages. As part of “PomogaMY” (“We help”) – a voluntary employee program – colleagues developed and implemented their own social projects to support children, seniors, people with disabilities, as well as environmental and neighborhood initiatives nationwide. In recognition of its exemplary social commitment, Compensa will be awarded the 2025 “Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience” in silver.
BRONZE for Albanian Sigma: Cross-generational commitment to greater joie de vivre and (traffic) safety
The funding philosophy of Albanian Sigma focuses on supporting to elderly people in nursing and retirement homes, as well as initiatives in the field of traffic safety. Employees participate in these initiatives with great personal commitment.
Connecting generations
One focus was on supporting the first Otago research project in Albania, which was led by professors from the University of Sport in Tirana. The aim of the project was to improve the balance of older people by 30 to 40 percent, thereby sustainably reducing the risk of falls and bone injuries – one of the most common causes of serious health consequences in old age. Sigma provided sports equipment, catering, and transportation for this project. Volunteers participated in exercises, walks, and dance sessions together with retirees.
Working together for better road safety
Sigma was also part of a comprehensive road safety campaign implemented in collaboration with the Albanian Red Cross and road traffic experts. Numerous schoolchildren took part in workshops supported by Sigma, where they learned key safety tips and basic first aid measures with the help of playful demonstrations and practical exercises, guided by Red Cross volunteers and experts. This groundbreaking campaign has significantly strengthened awareness of road safety, particularly among the younger generation in Albania. For its consistent commitment to social responsibility, Sigma Albania is winner of the 2025 Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience in bronze.
