Society

One of the three strategic focus areas within our social engagement is climate change. At the heart of our climate protection activities is our Tackling Climate Change Together (TCCT) initiative, which is driven by both Munich Re and ERGO. The TCCT initiative concentrates on ecosystem-based adaptation initiatives, which include maintaining,  sustainably using and regenerating ecosystems to limit the regional effects of climate change, and ensuring that the basic needs of people living in an affected area are met. In addition, we support startups working on solutions to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and we also conducted a Group-wide afforestation campaign for our employees in 2021.

Those who suffer most from the impact of climate change, such as extreme weather events, are often those who already live in difficult economic circumstances. Our engagement in ecosystem-based adaptation through TCCT supports initiatives that help mitigate the consequences of weather-related natural catastrophes and enables people to better adapt to climate change. Above and beyond providing financial assistance, we also bring our climate change-related expertise and experience to bear in support of solutions.

For many years, Munich Re has provided financial support for emergency aid measures and reconstruction projects following natural disasters. To this end, we work closely with and support the aid organisation Save the Children. Munich Re set up a formal partnership with Save the Children in 2019. 

In 2021, more than 1,500 families and over 4,000 children in Madagascar, Haiti, India and Afghanistan benefited from our aid. The projects we funded focused on a variety of topics, including malnutrition and hunger, winter clothes, emergency shelter and training personnel in psychosocial support and pedagogy.

We also show our commitment to numerous social, cultural and ecological projects at our different sites through corporate volunteering. Many of the initiatives were conceived by our employees, who also drive them forward. We fully endorse our employees’ voluntary work. At Munich Re in Munich, for example, employees can take up to two days special leave if they dedicate part of their annual holiday to volunteering projects. In addition, the Schinzler Foundation supports our employees’ voluntary work by giving grants to various projects

 Together we care for nature: Group-wide afforestation project in 2021

Munich Re significantly stepped up its afforestation efforts through voluntary employee engagement in 2021.Between September and December, more than 1,000 dedicated colleagues planted some 28,700 trees worldwide. Tree care, bush planting and forest cleaning were also part of the programme. This small contribution to helping the climate was a major lift for our team spirit worldwide.