Zurich Celebrates First Ever Global Community Week

(3BL Media) Schaumburg, IL - April 16, 2012 - As part of a year-long celebration of 100 years insuring America, Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) employees in the U.S. are taking part in a new corporate responsibility initiative throughout the world. Zurich’s inaugural Global Community Week, which also coincides with National Volunteer Week in the U.S., takes place April 16-20, 2012. Global Community Week offers a unique opportunity to celebrate Zurich’s commitment to make a sustainable difference in local communities with colleagues from Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Russia, and more.

The volunteer activities during Global Community Week provide Zurich employees in the U.S. and Canada an additional opportunity to take part in 100 Ways, an initiative to complete 100+ community service projects during Zurich’s 100 year anniversary of insuring America.

“2012 marks a year of celebrating Zurich’s role in America’s growth and prosperity for the last 100 years including supporting the communities in which we live and work,” said Kathleen Savio, North America Chief Administrative Officer for Zurich Insurance, member of the Z Zurich Foundation board and Chair of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Chicago/Midwest Division.  “Our goal through Global Community Week is to share Zurich employees' time and skills to care for those within our communities, and help ensure we meet our commitment to make a sustainable difference in communities around the globe.”

Zurich employees in the U.S. are encouraged to join their colleagues in 35 offices across the country in a variety of events. Here is a sampling of ways Zurich is celebrating Global Community Week in the U.S.:

* Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc (RIMS) Community Service Day to benefit Cradles to Crayons: On Sunday, April 15th, nearly 40 Zurich employees kicked off Global Community Week a day early by taking part in RIMS 2012 Community Service Day. Zurich volunteers joined professionals attending RIMS 2012 Annual Conference & Exhibition and assembled care-packages for local charity Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit that provides essentials to underprivileged children in the Philadelphia area. Zurich sponsored RIMS 2012 Community Service Day.

* Zurich Insurance Group CEO Martin Senn will join Zurich employees, along with Mike Kerner, CEO Global Corporate in North America and David Dietz, CEO Global Life North America for Zurich in a volunteer event with the American Red Cross Greater New York Region.

* Building houses and being ready: Habitat for Humanity builds and American Red Cross, Ready When the Time Comes disaster response volunteer trainings will be kicking off the week at some of the Zurich offices throughout the U.S. Mike Foley, CEO North America Commercial and Regional Chairman North America for Zurich and members of the Working Group coordinating activities for Zurich’s 100 year anniversary of insuring America will help build a home in Carpentersville, Ill. that will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley. Zurich is co-sponsoring the building of the house and employee volunteers will be working on the home three days a month between now and September.

* United Way “Live United” food drive: Zurich employees will participate in a United Way food drive to benefit local food pantries. There will also be a “Fun with Food” Food Drive Photo Contest where employees are encouraged to collect enough boxes and canned goods to use to build famous landmarks, such as the Hoover Dam and Madison Square Garden that are part of Zurich’s history of insuring America.

* Volunteer Fest & Skillshare Summit: A Volunteer Fest & Skillshare Summit is part of the week and will take place at Zurich’s North American headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill. During the Volunteer Fest, employees will have an opportunity to match their skills with the needs of more than 40 non-profit organizations to uncover future volunteer opportunities. Some of the participating non-profit organizations include:

o American Cancer Society
o American Red Cross, Ready When the Time Comes Training
o Boys Hope Girls Hope
o Little City Foundation
o Make-A-Wish Foundation
o March of Dimes
o Northern Illinois Food Bank
o Respiratory Health Association
o Schaumburg Food Pantry
o Special Olympics of Illinois
o WINGS Foundation
o United Way

After the Volunteer Fest, Zurich professionals from Corporate Law, Strategy and Planning, Marketing, Public Relations and Corporate Giving and Community Relations will share their skills with professionals from local area nonprofits.
 
For more information about volunteer activities taking place during Global Community Week in the U.S. and Canada, as well as additional information about Zurich’s 100 year anniversary of insuring America, go to http://www.zurichna.com/100

About Zurich
Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurance provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East as well as other markets. For more information about the products and services it offers and people Zurich employs around the world, go to http://www.zurichna.com/zna/aboutzurich/zna-home.htm. In North America, Zurich (www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors. In addition, Zurich also offers life insurance products and services. 2012 marks Zurich's 100 year anniversary of insuring America and the success of its customers, shareholders and employees. Further information about Zurich's 100 year anniversary of insuring America is available at http://www.zurichna.com/100.

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Media contact:
Jennifer Nowacki
Zurich, North America
(847) 275-4428
jennifer.nowacki@zurichna.com