Zurich’s Cooking for Ukraine raises thousands for humanitarian relief

At the start of the war in Ukraine, the Z Zurich Foundation launched a campaign to support humanitarian efforts, pledging to match donations from employees and other individuals around the globe up to 1 million Swiss francs (CHF). In just four weeks, the foundation met its goal of raising CHF 2 million, thanks to the greatest sum ever donated by individuals in the foundation’s 49 years of existence, combined with the foundation’s matching funds.

The generosity of Zurich team members near and far has continued ever since.

At Zurich North America’s headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, the Finance & Actuarial department recently organized a Cooking for Ukraine fundraiser. Team members baked and cooked items and other team members bid on them. The proceeds were matched by the Z Zurich Foundation, raising over $21,000 to support the Red Cross, Save the Children Federation and the International Rescue Committee.

Similarly, a cooking competition at Zurich’s global headquarters in Switzerland raised $27,000 for the World Food Programme’s Special Appeal for Ukraine, which has created hubs in neighboring countries to provide food assistance to people fleeing the conflict.

“They demonstrated we care for each other and the world we live in, no matter how far away we are or what our nationality is.”
—Zurich North America Chief Financial Officer Peter Hirs

In May, after a direct appeal from Ukrainian parliamentarian?Maria Mezentseva, Zurich in Switzerland arranged to send 207 tons of food aid to the war-ravaged city of Kharkiv. The food was purchased in Poland, with more than 90 percent coming from local producers, to help support the economy of a country that has been heavily impacted by the conflict.

Zurich United Kingdom made a 500,000 GBP (British pounds sterling) donation to?Hope and Homes for Children?to support the charity’s work in Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.?

Meanwhile, Zurich has increased the number of paid volunteer days in several European countries to make it easier for employees to support humanitarian efforts, including by helping refugees settle into new countries. Hundreds of employees and their families have hosted refugees in their homes.

In the city of Zurich, rooms and infrastructure at the Zurich Development Center have been made available for integration and language courses for Ukrainian refugees, and Zurich is helping refugees navigate new employment markets. Initiatives include help with resumé writing and interview training with English-speaking volunteers. Zurich also has provided refurbished laptop computers to refugees. In Barcelona, Bratislava (Slovakia) and Krakow, Zurich is looking to fill IT vacancies with Ukrainians.

While an ocean and several countries separate the United States from the epicenter of the conflict, the Finance & Actuarial department at Zurich North America wanted to do what they could to help, leading to the Cooking for Ukraine event.

“Every department within Finance & Actuarial contributed in their own way and as best as they could,” said Senior Financial Reporting Manager Claus Hoerandner. “We all came together around one common cause and pulled off an amazing feat.”

More than 110 Finance & Actuarial team members participated in Cooking for Ukraine.

“I am extremely proud of the enthusiasm and generosity of the Zurich Finance & Actuarial team,” Zurich North America Chief Financial Officer Peter Hirs said.  “They demonstrated we care for each other and the world we live in, no matter how far away we are or what our nationality is.”