Together for a sustainable future

Engagement

As a company acutely aware of its social responsibility, we want to make tangible contributions to resolving problems in society. We do this by helping people in a number of countries, working with a wide range of issues.

Our special focus: We aim to manage the challenges of climate change that already has a tangible impact on our business. Together with our parent company Munich Re, we support selected projects protecting the climate and achieving lasting effects across borders. With others projects, too, we work towards improving people’s situation in a sustainable way and support them in taking over responsibility for themselves and their environment.

Whether ERGO companies or their staff lobby for the integration of disabled persons, support human beings in acute emergencies or organise access to health care – we aim to achieve lasting effects. This also applies to the ERGO Foundation “Youth & Future” whose staff help disadvantaged young people with their career start. This focus on sustainability corresponds with our long-term business model and its promises for the future.

Local commitment

Commitment of our employees

Doing good together

Commitment of our employees

The non-profit association "ergo: we help" of employees and agents in Germany supports national and international projects to help people in need.

"ergo: wir helfen"
Corporate Volunteering Programme

Help where help is needed: ”ergo: wir helfen e. V.”

The independent charitable association "ergo: wir helfen" (ergo:we help) came into being on our employees' initiative. Around 3,500 ERGO employees, retired members of our workforce and sales partners are members of the association, which bases its work on the principle that if a lot of people put a little in, a lot of others can get something out. As in all our social and community involvement, the association puts children at the centre of its activities, focusing on youngsters in need of support and care.

"ergo: wir helfen e. V." is a non-profit charitable association founded and run by the work-forces of ERGO’s companies and with the purpose of extending a helping hand to people in need via social and charitable projects at home in Germany and abroad.
Current and former ERGO employees can join the association and support its work by donating the portion of their salaries or commission that comes after the decimal point and/or by making a maximum donation of 1.50 euros per month. ERGO does its bit by topping up the amount that employees give in this way by another 50 percent and by practical support for the association's work.
All donations made to "ergo: wir helfen e. V." reach the projects they are intended for in their entirety, without a percentage going on administration costs.

The association's standing committee and membership representatives take great care to personally vet all projects proposed for funding from the association, with particular scrutiny directed towards the degree to which the project does serious, sustainable work and how it makes use of donations. Members of the association can propose projects for funding; such suggestions are particularly welcome when the proposer is personally involved in the project.

Evangelische Krankenhaus Düsseldorf

The Evangelisches Krankenhaus Düsseldorf, a hospital established by Germany's Protestant church, receives regular financial support for the treatment of seriously injured children from areas where there is war and conflict. The hospital works with the organisations Hammer Forum and Peace Village International to bring the children to Germany, give them the surgery, treatment and care they need, provide them with artificial limbs where required, and return them to their home countries once they have recovered.

Sponsoring children via Kindernothilfe e. V. Duisburg

We sponsor nine children via Kindernothilfe e. V. Duisburg; part of this entails supporting children and young people suffering from lead poisoning. We also make it possible for children in Peru and India to go to school.

DKMS German bone marrow/stem cell donor register

We provide financial support to the social enterprise DKMS, the German bone marrow/stem cell donor register, which helps cover the 50-euro-a-time cost of typing. Four of our employees have already been able to help someone else by donating stem cells.

Christoffel-Blindenmission

We help the Christoffel-Blindenmission, an internationally active development organisation which cares for and supports people with visual impairments and other disabilities.

Association ergo: wir helfen e.V.
ERGO Group AG
ERGO-Platz 1
40198 Düsseldorf
Germany

Michael David
Chairman

Tel +49 211 477-2927
michael.david@ergo.de

Andreas Schütz
Deputy Chairman

Tel +49 211 477-3234
andreas.schuetz@ergo.de

Markus Holmer
Treasurer

Tel +49 211 477-3038
markus.holmer@ergo.de

ERGO Corporate Volunteering Programme

Many of our staff members wish to get involved with community projects. ERGO in Germany offers its staff the opportunity of spending a day together with their colleagues getting involved in community projects at their locations. For example, ERGO volunteers hand out meals in a soup kitchen, take children from an integrative day care center to a climate rally or maintain public gardens together with students.

Opening up new perspectives

ERGO Foundation “Youth & Future”

The Hamburg-based foundation focuses on preparing disadvantaged young people for working life. With low threshold counseling, they receive support in discovering their potential and developing professional perspectives, in order to successfully start their professional career. In addition, the foundation supports selected projects that help young people to get started in life and participate in society.

Vocational counseling

Together, the foundation employees and the young adults explore individual strengths, interests and abilities, and discuss possible occupational fields. The employees help find vocational training positions, advanced courses or job opportunities. The young people can also rely on their support in drafting application documents and preparing for job interviews or recruitment tests.

The foundation offers its vocational counseling in cooperation with several youth centres at their respective locations. Open consultation hours ensure easy access; in addition, the youths can arrange individual appointments outside these hours.

The counseling is voluntary, free of charge and without time restriction.

Funded projects

The foundation finances various initiatives for young people through its own funding programmes or grants, such as day jobs for young people, media literacy initiatives, and educational and leisure activities. It can support non-profit associations or organisations that are also dedicated to helping young people. Direct funding for individual young people is not possible.