Challenge
Our flagship volunteering programme, Challenge, is Zurich’s biggest annual team volunteer event. Brokered by ZCT, it brings together employee teams from Zurich offices across the country to complete a one off project which benefits a local voluntary organisation or school.
Hard to believe, but ‘Challenge 2024’ will mark an amazing 35 years of helping to transform our communities and, more importantly, the lives of those people living within them.
Challenge projects take many forms and teams could be asked to transform a garden or a hallway or to furnish a sensory room and put up fencing. Or maybe to simply let young carers be children for the day with a trip to Alton Tower or the seaside or host a vintage tea party for those living with dementia and their carers. Whatever the project activity, we always look to engage directly with the beneficiaries themselves.
Challenge may be our longest-running volunteering programme but it's young at heart. It's an integral part of working for Zurich in the UK and is a fixture in every employee's calendar. And our charity partners wouldn't have it any other way!
Challenge by numbers
More than 300 challenge projects are completed each year with over 10,000 hours of volunteering donated by Zurich UK employee volunteers
Challenge hotline. Manning the phones on Challenge Launch Day!
Painting fun in Birmingham. Challenge is always a great team builder
Time for a sit down. A well earned rest after a gardening challenge for Swindon Women's Aid
A diamond of a challenge. Job done! The team is rightly proud of their shed building skills.
Horsing around
It can be hard work!David climbing tree
Decorating inside
The team were completely amazing - they all worked so hard to ensure the garden at the refuge was ready for the families here to enjoy over the summer holidays. Thank you so much. No words can express the support you give us regularly.
What they say...
100% of organisations we work with through the Challenge programme say it’s a “worthwhile event.”
85% of employee volunteers say it makes them proud to work for Zurich in the UK.