Interview
Agnes van Daal, director Achmea Foundation
In 2023, the Achmea Foundation aligned their strategy more closely with Achmea's Sustainable Living. Together. "Coordination and cooperation have strengthened in several areas. This has enabled us to make a greater impact", Agnes van Daal (Director Achmea Foundation) told De Dikke Blauwe (a media platform for independent news and opinion on philanthropy in the Netherlands) about the newly aligned strategy. You can read part of the interview below (text: Reactie DDB). You can find the full interview in De Dikke Blauwe.
Contributing to a healthy, safe and future-proof society
At Achmea, we see a subtle relationship between the foundation's mission and the company's core activities. The Achmea Foundation strives for a world in which everyone can participate fully. It supports initiatives aimed at empowering people in vulnerable situations. To achieve a greater impact, the foundation's strategy has been further aligned with Achmea's vision and mission.
Corporate Power
During the Corporate Power event on 30 May 2023, the Achmea Foundation participated in parallel sessions. Central to this were the insights on the adjusted purpose of Achmea and the Achmea Foundation. This session was about aligning the purpose of the parent company and that of the corporate foundation. The director of the Achmea Foundation is Agnes van Daal. She is committed to foreign projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and social projects in the Netherlands.
What distinguishes the Achmea Foundation?
"Based on its social commitment, the Achmea Foundation contributes to improving the socioeconomic position of vulnerable people. From health to income for today and tomorrow. In the Netherlands and in Sub-Saharan Africa. On that continent, we invest in high-risk projects that would not otherwise qualify for funding. We do this together with other organisations and local people."
How would you describe the relationship between foundation and parent company?
"The Achmea Foundation, like Achmea, wants to contribute to a healthy, safe and future-proof society. The Achmea Foundation’s strategy was recently aligned more closely with Achmea's vision of Sustainable Living. Together. Coordination and cooperation have strengthened in several areas. This makes it possible to have a greater impact. The foundation's four programmes reflect this.
What social role does the foundation want to play and what are the trends?
We rely on the power of motivated people. People who want to work towards a better future. For themselves and for those around them. More and more projects are seeing the effects of climate change as an additional factor. Together with the Rabobank Foundation, we are supporting a project in Tanzania. This project provides additional income for smallholder farmers while improving the climate by planting trees.
Where do you see the foundation in five years' time?
"The Achmea Foundation remains committed to making a sustainable impact on the socioeconomic position of the most vulnerable people in the Netherlands and Sub-Saharan countries in Africa. That is where our future lies. In doing so, we have accumulated years of knowledge and experience. Cooperation with other organisations creates synergy benefits and greater impact. In the Netherlands, we continue to connect social entrepreneurs."