Achmea Voor Elkaar
The Achmea For Each Other programme allows Achmea employees to do something extra for society. Doing something in addition to their daily work. And in turn make an additional contribution to a healthy, safe and future-proof society by helping vulnerable groups in society. Individually or as a team.
Volunteer work
In 2019, the Achmea Foundation launched the Voor Elkaar platform: the ‘marketplace’ within Achmea for volunteer work. Employees could volunteer for various foundations. Although good work was being done, the impact was fragmented. For that reason, the decision was made in mid-2023 to focus on an inclusive future for young people and to cooperate with two foundations that fit well within the foundation's strategy as well as Achmea's Sustainable Living. Together.
The Achmea Foundation and Achmea have chosen the LEF Foundation and JINC
Both foundations focus on the future of youth. It fits nicely within Sustainable Living. Together: building an inclusive society in which everyone participates and lives pleasantly and healthily with and alongside each other. And in a way that can continue to have an effect for a long time.
Both foundations focus on inclusion. They both aim to ensure that everyone can participate in society. Both organisations aim to ensure that young people feel included, and they focus on the prevention of problems.
JINC helps young people find work
Every child has talent. This includes the hundreds of thousands of Dutch children growing up in an environment of high unemployment and fewer role models. That is why JINC fights for a society in which your background does not determine your future. JINC helps children aged 8 to 16 get a good start in the labour market. Through the JINC programme, they are introduced to various professions, discover what type of work suits their talents and learn how to apply for a job. JINC pairs young people who could use a helping hand with professionals in the business community. The knowledge and experience professionals possess are a potential goldmine for young people. Achmea employees will help young people with lightning internships, job training, career coaching and networking training.
Stichting LEF wil jongeren financieel wijzer maken
LEF specifically targets young people aged 15 to 22. Managing money effectively is in itself difficult for adults, but it is even more difficult for young people. Young people are constantly tempted to spend their money. And money is becoming increasingly abstract: buying on credit is as easy as one, two, three. Online gambling and crypto speculation is very tempting. LEF gives guest lectures at senior secondary vocational schools (MBOs) throughout the Netherlands. It needs large numbers of volunteers to do so – people who enjoy interacting with young people and would like to contribute to a healthy financial future.
Recruitment for volunteer work by Achmea employees at these two foundations started in late 2023. Achmea employees will be trained as guest lecturers to make MBO students financially smarter and more self-reliant.
Crowdfunding campaigns
Any Achmea employee can submit a request for a crowdfunding campaign. A committee decides each quarter which crowdfunding campaign to select. Four crowdfunding campaigns were supported in 2023. The Achmea Foundation provided matching funds for the amount raised. In addition, a separate crowdfunding campaign was set up for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.
Help for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria
On Monday 6 February 2023, Turkey and Syria were hit by the worst earthquake since 1939. Achmea has close ties with Turkey and the colleagues there, both at subsidiary Eureko Sigorta and the Turkish branch of Eurocross Assistance Company. Unfortunately, there were many colleagues who are from the region and whose relatives and friends live in the affected area and were victims of the earthquakes. There were also many colleagues in the Netherlands who had family or friends in the disaster area; the amount of uncertainty was high. It is terrible to realise what an impact this disaster has had. A tremendous amount of help was needed. Achmea and the Achmea Foundation have jointly launched a crowdfunding campaign to collect money in order to hep people affected by the disaster.
Petra Frikkee-Dekker organised a crowdfunding campaign for the Ronald McDonald House in Utrecht
Ronald McDonald Houses are there for parents (and siblings) of sick children who are in hospital. The houses are close to the hospital so parents can stay close to their child and thus always be close by. On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 June 2023, our colleague Petra (Pension Specialist) took part in HomeRide: a 500-kilometre, 24-hour day and night bike ride. A great ride to raise money for charity: The Ronald McDonald House Utrecht.
Hans Kooij ran a marathon in Ghana for children in poverty
In October 2023, Hans (Pensions Compliance Manager) ran a marathon in Ghana for Compassion. That meant 42 kilometres of plodding in the heat through the Ghanaian landscape while being cheered on by dozens of children who each ran along with him enthusiastically for several meters. Compassion is an aid organisation that offers children the chance of a life free from poverty. They do this by seeking sponsors who enable the children to attend school, receive medical care and grow mentally, socially and emotionally.
Luc van Velzen started a crowdfunding campaign for disabled children in Gambia
Luc (Enterprise Architect) and his wife are involved with Gambia Child Foundation. The small-scale aid envisioned by Gambia Child is a drop in the ocean, but it sizzles nevertheless! Gambia Child supports children with disabilities and their families through education, resources, nutrition and medical care. Using among other things the crowdfunding donations, new sanitary facilities have been built at the children's hospital.
Together with her dog, Jacky, Jacomina Baatje passionately dedicates herself to the Duiven-based rescue dog foundation Stichting Reddingshonden RHWW
Stichting Reddingshonden's aim is mainly to search for the less self-reliant and socially disadvantaged people who can still be found alive in the initial period of missing persons and to search for long-term missing persons. The use of rescue dogs has proved to be an important tool in the search for missing persons over the years and many positive results have been achieved. Searches take place in the Netherlands and abroad. These include searches on land, water and in buildings and debris sites. In February, the dogs were also used in the relief efforts following the earthquakes in Turkey. Jacomina (HR Advisor Pension & Life Division) was there with her dog, Jacky. "That is where the dogs really made the difference between life and death, and in the end, more than a week after the first earthquake, 11 more people were pulled out alive from under the rubble, following the guidance of the dogs."
Social team outings
From the Achmea Foundation, we encourage social team days. As a result, colleagues get to know each other in a different way and make an immediate social impact. Below is an example of a heartwarming team outing: Bingo, chess and laughs at a care home.
The Continuous Improvement team of Non-Life experienced an unforgettable team day.
On a glorious afternoon, the team gathered at the Sint Petrus care centre in Boekel after a productive morning. They were determined to put a smile on residents' faces. The warm welcome they received immediately gave them a wonderful feeling and the seniors were visibly pleased with the visit. The absolute highlight of the day was playing bingo, also known as 'kienen'. Between 13:00 to 17:00, the group played no fewer than 15 exciting rounds. The seniors were therefore very happy to have the extra eyes to help keep track of their bingo cards and everyone had a lot of fun.
But the team did more than just play bingo. The residents who were unable to participate in the bingo did not escape the attention of our colleagues either. Personal attention to these residents led to beautiful, openhearted conversations. A gentleman with poor eyesight still makes works of art and took great pride and pleasure in showing them and talking about them. Another resident played an exciting game of chess with one of the colleagues, during which various life lessons were also shared. The genuine interactions between the team and the seniors were palpable, and the seniors benefited from the variety of activities.
This heartwarming team outing was not just about strengthening team bonding, but also making a positive contribution to the community. It is an inspiring example of how companies and organisations can contribute to a wonderful and caring society. The Continuous Improvement Non-Life team demonstrates the importance of commitment and sharing time and attention. They proved that having fun and at the same time doing something for others can go hand in hand. As one enthusiastic carer said: "Your visit really did the seniors good, they talked about it fondly for quite some time afterwards."
