Schnifis Schnauf charity run results in Günter Geyer Award
Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) companies in Liechtenstein and Moldova take bronze award for commitment to supporting social initiatives
Vienna Life in Liechtenstein organised a running event to benefit a kindergarten in Moldova. The staff from Moldovan VIG Group company Donaris then helped to build its playground and garden. This perfect symbiosis of two Group companies’ support for social causes won over the jury.
Liechtenstein runs for Moldova
For the first time in the history of the Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience, two VIG Group companies shared one of the accolades: Donaris in Moldova and Liechtenstein-based Vienna Life. Not only did the two companies put a smile on children’s faces, they also demonstrated how VIG can utilise its high level of diversity to promote cooperation within the Group and benefit social projects. The cross-border collaboration was born out of the annual Schnifis Schnauf charity run, which is held in Liechtenstein in support of socially disadvantaged groups. This charity event is organised by employees of Vienna Life, many of whom also take part in the run. Last year, Vienna Life decided to donate some of the money raised from Schnifis Schnauf to social projects in other VIG countries.
Happy faces at the Snowdrop kindergarten
Moldova has the lowest GDP per capita of any country in which VIG operates, so Vienna Life approached Moldovan Group company Donaris in order to identify a suitable project to support there. The two companies decided to club together to buy new playground equipment for the Snowdrop kindergarten in Răzeni. On Social Active Day, staff from Donaris also worked in the kindergarten’s garden, including the playground. The award, which comes with prize money of EUR 20,000, was presented to the VIG Group companies’ CEOs in the Moldovan capital Chișinău at the end of June 2019. At the ceremony, Hannes Fahrnberger, CEO of Liechtenstein-based Vienna Life, passed on his company’s 50% share of the prize money to his Moldovan colleagues. As a result, the funds will be devoted entirely to social projects in Moldova.
Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience
Launched in 2012, the Günter Geyer Award for Social Conscience shines the spotlight on Group companies’ commitment to supporting social causes. Named after the Chairman of the Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein Managing Board, the accolade is awarded annually by Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein to three VIG Group companies, which have provided outstanding service to the community through their social activities, or those of their employees.
Pictures
On photo 1: Hannes Fahrnberger, CEO Vienna Life (left) & Dinu Gherasim, General Director Donaris (right)
On photo 2: Team of the VIG Group company Donaris in Moldova
On photo 3: Children of the kindergarten "Snowdrop" in Răzeni/Moldova
On photo 4: Thank you sign in the garden of the kindergarten "Snowdrop" in Răzeni/Moldova