The winners of the ninth edition of the “Insurers for Society 2023” competition received their awards at a formal ceremony on October 3, 2023. With a focus on societal needs, the insurance industry marked its professional holiday – Insurance Day. The prestigious event brought together representatives from the insurance business, government institutions, regulatory bodies, academia, and the media.
In his welcoming speech, Yuri Kopach, Chairman of the Association of Bulgarian Insurers (ABI), highlighted that in a world facing increasing social, economic, and climate-related challenges, the mission of insurance to provide adequate security and protection is becoming even more significant and socially necessary.
“As an industry, we recognize that there is much work ahead. To achieve even better results, we rely on the support of all stakeholders. I believe that through joint efforts, dedication, and professionalism, we can provide the protection that our society needs,” emphasized Yuri Kopach. He expressed his gratitude to all colleagues in the insurance sector for their daily efforts, professionalism, and compassion in their work.
Award Winners in “Insurers for Society 2023”
As per tradition, the event announced the winners of the “Insurers for Society 2023″competition. The fact that the insurance industry celebrates its professional holiday in this way demonstrates its deep commitment to sustainable development and societal well-being.
The competition is organized by the Association of Bulgarian Insurers, the Bulgarian Association of Insurance Brokers, the Association of Insurance Brokers in Bulgaria, and United Insurance Brokers. The winners are selected through voting by insurance companies and brokers—members of these organizations.
First Place: Generali Insurance – The Human Safety Net Initiative
The insurance community awarded first place to Generali Insurance for its The Human Safety Net initiative, titled “Paving the Way for Early Childhood Development Services in Bulgaria.”
The award was presented to Nikolay Stanchev, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Generali Insurance, by Vladimir Savov, Deputy Chairman of the Financial Supervision Commission.
Upon receiving the award, Nikolay Stanchev stated:
“This valuable award is a recognition for all our colleagues who actively volunteer for The Human Safety Net initiative. Without their enthusiasm, dedication, and efforts, we would not have achieved this milestone. By the end of 2022, we successfully provided support to over 3,300 parents and 2,600 children in Bulgaria.”
The initiative, established by the Generali Group, aims to support disadvantaged people through a “chain of help” model—those who receive assistance can, in turn, help others, creating a cycle of positive change. In Bulgaria, Generali Insurance has partnered with the “For Our Children Foundation” since 2020 to develop the program “Paving the Way for Early Childhood Development Services.”
In 2022, Generali Insurance organized various fundraising initiatives, involving over 200 volunteers. Through The Human Safety Net and For Our Children Foundation, the program helped more than 3,330 parents and nearly 2,620 children in 2022, indirectly benefiting another 1,796 children.
Second Place: Groupama Bulgaria – “Life Savers” Program
Second place went to Groupama Bulgaria for its “Life Savers” Program.
The award was presented to Céline Bollard, CEO of Groupama Bulgaria, by Ivaylo Ivanov, Director of the National Social Security Institute.
In her speech, Céline Bollard stated:
“The ‘Life Savers’ program was launched last year, supported by Groupama Group, and is the only one of its kind in the European insurance sector. The name itself speaks for the initiative—we help save lives by providing free first-aid training to the public. In Bulgaria, we have trained over 3,000 families, and at the Group level, we are close to reaching 1 million trained European citizens. We will continue with determination because nothing is more valuable than saving a human life! For us, as insurers, this is part of our DNA.”
The “Life Savers” Program is designed to increase awareness and provide first-aid training. It is implemented in France, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, Turkey, Bulgaria, China, Hungary, and Romania, with the goal of training 1 million people in first-aid techniques. Since 2022, Groupama Bulgaria has been conducting training sessions for its employees, clients, and partners, actively participating in events to promote first-aid knowledge.
Third Place: Lev Ins – “Protect the Child Online” National Campaign
Third place was awarded to Lev Ins for its national educational campaign “Protect the Child Online.”
The award was presented to Pavel Dimitrov, CEO of Lev Ins, by Yuri Kopach, Chairman of the ABI.
Upon receiving the award, Pavel Dimitrov stated:
“Lev Ins has always set high standards for both physical and cybersecurity. This recognition from the industry for the second consecutive year proves our commitment! Over the past two years, our ‘Protect the Child Online’ campaign has reached over 130,000 students, their teachers, and parents. The face of the campaign, Yavor Kolev, along with our team, has visited children in all major cities, municipalities, and even small villages across Bulgaria. Recently, we have also focused on parents, emphasizing the importance of discussing online safety with their children.”
The “Protect the Child Online” campaign aims to educate society and prevent cybercrime, which is considered one of the greatest threats of the 21st century. The initiative seeks to **develop digital awareness starting from an early age.
Over the past 1.5 years, the campaign has conducted open lessons with more than 130,000 students, teachers, and parents nationwide.
Source: ABZ.BG