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QBE SUSTAINABILITY

Investing responsibly

Contributing to the community is important to us and our customers.

Premiums4Good

Our award-winning Premiums4Good initiative allows us to do that every day, supporting social and environmental projects as part of doing business.

Under the initiative, customers can opt for 25% of their premiums to be invested in projects that benefit the environment or communities around the world. There is no risk to policyholders, or any additional cost, so it is a win-win for all concerned!

Read our brochure to find out how to get involved, and which projects your premiums can help.

Preventing high blood pressure

Preventing high blood pressure

High blood pressure affects around six million Canadians and is a key factor in heart disease and strokes, which kill 66,000 Canadians a year. We have invested in the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Community Hypertension Prevention Initiative, which provides a free screening and enrolment service to raise awareness of hypertension and help people to control it.

Keeping children with their families

Keeping children with their families

We have invested in The Benevolent Society’s Social Benefit Bond (SBB), which supports Australian families at risk of having children removed and placed into care. This is a significant issue in Australia today, with more than 17,000 children in New South Wales alone in care. The SBB funds intensive support for issues including parental mental health, domestic violence, substance misuse, and neglect.

Helping developing countries get ‘climate smart’

Helping developing countries get ‘climate smart’

QBE has invested in a Green Bond issued by the International Finance Corporation, which is one of the world’s largest financiers of climate-smart projects for developing countries. Proceeds from this bond are invested exclusively in renewable energy, energy efficiency and other climate-smart projects in developing countries.

Preparing young people for work

Preparing young people for work

The Future Shapers Sheffield Social Impact Bond was launched to improve employment opportunities for young people by helping them to develop the skills and mindset they need to make a positive transition to the workplace. Participants get their own mentor who provides tailored support around issues such as gaining confidence, school attendance, qualifications, extra-curricular activities, socialising and looking for a job.

Tackling crime and homelessness

Tackling crime and homelessness

The Salt Lake County Pay for Success initiative targets the linked issues of crime and homelessness. Aimed at individuals at high risk of falling into a life of homelessness, drug abuse and criminality, the project combines a Criminal Justice Programme and a Homelessness Programme to reduce repeat offending and combat the factors that contribute to it. It is hoped these two programmes will make a real impact in a county where 74% of high-risk offenders return to prison within four years of release, and 43% become chronically homeless within two years of release.

Premiums4Good in action – Joe and Tracey's story

Premiums4Good in action – Joe and Tracey's story

Joe and Tracey (not their real names) have 11 children and a long history of drug abuse, domestic violence, and emotional abuse. This resulted in six of their children being taken away. After fears were raised about their tenth child because of Tracey’s drug taking, a case worker supported them with tackling unresolved traumas, coping with stress and addiction issues, and acquiring the parenting skills they needed. Joe and Tracey made good progress and today they are safely parenting two infants and three older siblings, and Joe has a full-time job.

Premiums4Good in action – Sally’s story

Premiums4Good in action – Sally’s story

Sally (not her real name) was referred to Future Shapers because she was suffering from anxiety and it was affecting her school attendance. At first, Sally was quiet and withdrawn with her mentor and found it hard to make eye contact. After Sally mentioned she was interested in looking after animals, her mentor arranged for them both to volunteer at a local charity for retired greyhounds. Gradually, Sally began to open up about her anxieties and gain confidence. She later returned to school, freshly motivated and with a new goal of training in animal care at college.

Investing in companies that empower women

Investing in companies that empower women

In addition to making investments under our Premiums4Good initiative, we have a dynamic Responsible Investment team that seeks to generate social returns alongside profits. This forms part of our sustained commitment to embedding diversity and inclusion within our corporate DNA. In 2017, the team launched QBE’s ground-breaking Gender Equality Bond, which invests in companies that further the empowerment of women. Within 12 hours, orders had topped $9.5 billion and the bond was 24 times oversubscribed. The bond clearly resonated with the values of investors – but it also reflected QBE’s own corporate focus on gender equality within our organisation.

Preventing high blood pressure

Preventing high blood pressure

High blood pressure affects around six million Canadians and is a key factor in heart disease and strokes, which kill 66,000 Canadians a year. We have invested in the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Community Hypertension Prevention Initiative, which provides a free screening and enrolment service to raise awareness of hypertension and help people to control it.

Keeping children with their families

Keeping children with their families

We have invested in The Benevolent Society’s Social Benefit Bond (SBB), which supports Australian families at risk of having children removed and placed into care. This is a significant issue in Australia today, with more than 17,000 children in New South Wales alone in care. The SBB funds intensive support for issues including parental mental health, domestic violence, substance misuse, and neglect.

Helping developing countries get ‘climate smart’

Helping developing countries get ‘climate smart’

QBE has invested in a Green Bond issued by the International Finance Corporation, which is one of the world’s largest financiers of climate-smart projects for developing countries. Proceeds from this bond are invested exclusively in renewable energy, energy efficiency and other climate-smart projects in developing countries.

Preparing young people for work

Preparing young people for work

The Future Shapers Sheffield Social Impact Bond was launched to improve employment opportunities for young people by helping them to develop the skills and mindset they need to make a positive transition to the workplace. Participants get their own mentor who provides tailored support around issues such as gaining confidence, school attendance, qualifications, extra-curricular activities, socialising and looking for a job.

Tackling crime and homelessness

Tackling crime and homelessness

The Salt Lake County Pay for Success initiative targets the linked issues of crime and homelessness. Aimed at individuals at high risk of falling into a life of homelessness, drug abuse and criminality, the project combines a Criminal Justice Programme and a Homelessness Programme to reduce repeat offending and combat the factors that contribute to it. It is hoped these two programmes will make a real impact in a county where 74% of high-risk offenders return to prison within four years of release, and 43% become chronically homeless within two years of release.

Premiums4Good in action – Joe and Tracey's story

Premiums4Good in action – Joe and Tracey's story

Joe and Tracey (not their real names) have 11 children and a long history of drug abuse, domestic violence, and emotional abuse. This resulted in six of their children being taken away. After fears were raised about their tenth child because of Tracey’s drug taking, a case worker supported them with tackling unresolved traumas, coping with stress and addiction issues, and acquiring the parenting skills they needed. Joe and Tracey made good progress and today they are safely parenting two infants and three older siblings, and Joe has a full-time job.

Premiums4Good in action – Sally’s story

Premiums4Good in action – Sally’s story

Sally (not her real name) was referred to Future Shapers because she was suffering from anxiety and it was affecting her school attendance. At first, Sally was quiet and withdrawn with her mentor and found it hard to make eye contact. After Sally mentioned she was interested in looking after animals, her mentor arranged for them both to volunteer at a local charity for retired greyhounds. Gradually, Sally began to open up about her anxieties and gain confidence. She later returned to school, freshly motivated and with a new goal of training in animal care at college.

Investing in companies that empower women

Investing in companies that empower women

In addition to making investments under our Premiums4Good initiative, we have a dynamic Responsible Investment team that seeks to generate social returns alongside profits. This forms part of our sustained commitment to embedding diversity and inclusion within our corporate DNA. In 2017, the team launched QBE’s ground-breaking Gender Equality Bond, which invests in companies that further the empowerment of women. Within 12 hours, orders had topped $9.5 billion and the bond was 24 times oversubscribed. The bond clearly resonated with the values of investors – but it also reflected QBE’s own corporate focus on gender equality within our organisation.