Zurich releases 2021 Annual Report and Sustainability Report

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) today published its online-only 2021 Annual Report and Sustainability Report, highlighting both its financial strength and ambition to be one of the most impactful and responsible businesses in the world.

The Annual Report includes the newly created integrated sustainability disclosure (ISD), which adheres to the recommendations of several internationally recognized standards . As part of the ISD, Zurich also shares the key findings of its first portfolio-level climate risk scenario analysis. This provides deeper insight into the challenges and opportunities associated with climate risk and assesses the resilience of the Group’s strategy. Zurich discloses the indicators most material to its business and stakeholders in the ISD.

The ISD also includes reporting on Zurich’s ambitions under the three pillars of its sustainability framework and the indicators used to measure progress on them. Together with the Sustainability Report, the ISD underscores Zurich’s efforts to embed sustainability into all parts of the business and aim for the highest standards of transparency.

“I am proud to chair the Board of a company that combines a sustainable focus on all our stakeholders’ interests with a decisive strategic execution and a deep sense of corporate responsibility,” said Michel M. Liès, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Zurich may be 150 years old, but it is stepping up its efforts to fulfil its obligations as a modern business: to create value that is sustainable, transparent and benefits people and the planet.”

Zurich’s Group Chief Executive Officer Mario Greco added: “We’ve made remarkable progress toward our 2022 targets and are confident we will meet or exceed these goals. Yet financial success is only the beginning. As an insurer, our role in society is to promote behavior that reduces risk and builds resilience. Only by taking action ourselves, and inspiring others to do the same, can we help to build resilience of our communities and planet in the long term.”

Annual Report

The Annual Report gives an overview of Zurich’s strategy, business structure, executive bodies, corporate governance, remuneration, risk management, financial performance and business environment.

In the integrated sustainability disclosure (ISD), Zurich also plots its performance on non-financial metrics, including customer satisfaction, employee demographics and diversity, charitable contributions, and responsible investment.

At the same time, the publication provides a cross section of stories from the people who work for and with Zurich, bringing to life its values and making the company what it is today.

Topics include:

• Q&A with the CEO Commercial Insurance Sierra Signorelli on discipline and strategy in underwriting.
• Q&A with Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer Ericson Chan, outlining his vision for boosting Zurich’s digital capabilities.
• Zurich’s collaboration with non-profit Instituto Terra to restore 700 hectares of nature in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest in an eight-year project, which also features in the cover photo. Zurich also serves as the main global partner for Amazônia, the latest exhibition of photographer and climate activist Sebastião Salgado.
• Zurich Resilience Solutions, which meets the growing demands from customers to provide a suite of services around risk prevention and mitigation in a number of areas, including resilience to the impacts of climate change and also cybersecurity.

Sustainability Report

In its Sustainability Report, Zurich outlines the actions it has taken in 2021 to be one of the world’s most responsible and impactful businesses. Intended to complement the ISD, the Sustainability Report provides further details on Zurich’s sustainability framework, which focuses the three pillars: a 1.5°C future, work sustainability and building confidence in a digital society.

Topics include:

• Emissions reduction in investment and underwriting portfolios, direct investment in solutions, and engagement with companies to bring about change, including a case study on how Zurich is using its influence as investor to urge companies it invests in to set their own targets for a 1.5ºC future.
• Measures to cut emissions from Zurich’s own operations globally, with cuts to air travel, fleet, food, paper and real estate.
• The launch of Zurich’s Supplier Code of Conduct to embed sustainability into its supply chain and use its buying power as a force for good.

Annual General Meeting 2022

The company has also published today the invitation to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2022 of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZIG), which will take place on April 6.

Due to the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to make safety a priority again for this year’s AGM. In accordance with Swiss legislation on the measures to combat COVID-19, the Board of Directors has therefore decided to hold the AGM 2022 without the physical presence of shareholders, who can exercise their rights via the Independent Voting Rights Representative.

Among the items on the agenda are the re-election of the Chairman and all current members of ZIG’s Board of Directors, including the election of Peter Maurer as a new member, assuming his role as October 1, 2022 only.