Allianz is the only insurer to feature among the 29 brands applauded for making a positive impact through sport in the inaugural Laureus Sport for Good Index.
Laureus, the global movement that uses the power of sport to transform the lives of children and young people, and SportsPro, the leading sports media and events company, have unveiled the second annual Laureus Sport for Good Index, featuring brands that are leading the way in delivering positive social or ecological impact through sport.
Launched in 2021, the Index recognises brands using sport to drive social change and celebrates brands that, through collaboration, innovation and creativity, are making significant contributions across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as laid out by the United Nations. Allianz features among the 29 leading brands from multiple industry sectors, including sports goods and apparel, technology, energy, and transport.
Determined through an independently adjudicated judging process overseen by a panel of industry experts, the purpose of the Index is to shine a light on those organisations that are having the clearest and most meaningful impact, and to provide compelling evidence for the role that sport can play in driving sustainable change.
Allianz is the Worldwide Insurance Partner for the Olympic and Paralympic Movements from 2021 until 2028.
In the UK, the Allianz Sports Fund invites insurance brokers to nominate grassroots clubs to receive grants ranging from £500 to £3,000. Since the programme’s launch in 2021, it has so far made donations of £150k across 122 sports clubs.
Allianz supports women in sport through its partnership with England Rugby, as it helps fund and promote the national women’s team, the Red Roses, and is a title partner to the women’s domestic league. Allianz is also sponsor of the Inner Warrior programme which is the grassroots programme which encourages girls and women into sport.
Through investment in social media, podcasts and rugby content, Allianz aims to enable the women’s game to reach new audiences and inspire the next generation of girls and young women into rugby.
Brands featured in the index were assessed according to a set of seven criteria, including:
- Each company's impact through sports-related Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) activities;
- Innovation and creativity during purpose-led campaigns;
- Commitment to environmental, social, and corporate governance;
- Level of investment in 'sport for good' causes;
- Extent to which their sports investments align with the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
- Their commercial viability;
- An overall assessment of their commitment towards building an equitable society, reducing sport’s ecological footprint, and growing the sport’s industry’s economy through sport for good campaigns.
This year’s 19-member judging panel included: Daniela Bas, Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development, United Nations; Fiona Morgan, Global Director of Purpose & Impact, SailGP; Kate Johnson, Director of Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing Partnerships, Google; and Jessica Clancy, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, NBCUniversal.
Drew Barrand, Head of Commercial & Sales at Laureus, commented: “When we launched the Laureus Sport for Good Index in 2021 it was with the intention of defining what best practice looked like in terms of corporate investment in using sport to drive social and environmental change. Now in its second year, we have raised the bar on that definition. The brands that make up the 2022 Index are world-leading – balancing the delivery of tangible impact with the commercial needs of their respective businesses to great effect.
“The use of sport as a tool to tackle society’s most challenging problems remains an evolving area for the corporate world but it is our hope that by shining a light on those brands whose initiatives in this space are paying dividends, we can encourage more investment into the sector. Laureus’ purpose is to change the world through the power of sport and we are delighted that more and more businesses are aligning with that purpose.”
Carolyn Rich, head of brand and social responsibility, Allianz Insurance added: “We’re thrilled that once again Allianz has been recognised for making a positive impact through sport. We understand the transformational power of sport and it’s important to us that we provide support at all levels, from worldwide partnerships to grassroots in local communities across the UK.”
The Laureus Sport for Good Index can be viewed and downloaded in full at laureussportforgoodindex.com.