GENERALI INSURANCE: THE HUMAN SAFETY NET BULGARIA
The Generali Group launched the The Human Safety Net initiative in Bulgaria in 2020. Its mission is to support people in vulnerable situations. The initiative is built on the idea that people helping people can lead to lasting change and positive impact. It is inspired by the concept of a “chain of help,” where those who receive support today can one day help others, creating a cycle of positive transformation.
In Bulgaria, The Human Safety Net works in partnership with the For Our Children Foundation. In 2023, a second joint program was launched – Holistic Support for Early Childhood Development. This program promotes comprehensive support for young children by bringing together the most important systems in a child’s life – family, healthcare, education, and social services. It goes beyond traditional philanthropy, creating a sustainable ecosystem for social change.
The cooperation between Generali Insurance AD and the For Our Children Foundation is unique in its depth, scale, and commitment – uniting corporate responsibility, volunteering, professional expertise, and personal dedication under one shared cause: support for early childhood development.
Our partnership is an example of long-term, sustainable, and transformative corporate responsibility. It does not merely provide support – it builds bridges between business and society, between employees and families in need, between today and the future of Bulgaria’s children.
Key Objectives
- Provide free access to essential social services for children and parents in the Foundation’s centers in Sofia and Plovdiv
- Ensure access to professional support for children and parents through mobile services and newly established consultation hubs (play centers) in the municipalities of Maritsa, Rakovski, and Elin Pelin, and since 2024 also in Saedinenie and Stamboliyski
- Prevent child abandonment by working directly with parents
- Support children with developmental difficulties and those living in vulnerable environments to remain in their families
- Expand early childhood development programs with a focus on strengthening families
- Build a foundation for broader-scale financing of early childhood development programs in Bulgaria
- Increase the organization’s capacity to deliver high-quality early childhood development services
Target Groups
- Parents and children up to 6 years of age
- Children with developmental difficulties
- Families at risk of social exclusion (single parents, large families)
- Parents of newborns at risk of abandonment
- Foster parents and their children
- Prospective and adoptive parents and their children
- Professionals working with children and families in vulnerable situations
Activities
Since joining the global The Human Safety Net network, Generali Insurance AD has developed an active volunteering culture, engaging employees, managers, and the leadership team in the initiative’s activities.
- In 2024, 166 employees and insurance agents contributed 1,804 volunteer hours to carry out more than 16 fundraising and charity campaigns. Volunteers accounted for 18% of all staff and agents in the company.
- Many managers also act as role models, actively participating in fundraising and volunteer events, while Board members support with their own initiatives.
- In 2024, The Human Safety Net Bulgaria appointed 18 Ambassadors of the initiative – colleagues who play a key role in organizing fundraising and volunteer campaigns. During the Global Challenge, five of them organized their own initiatives, raising BGN 15,121 for the cause.
Annual fundraising campaigns include:
- Charity bazaars for Baba Marta and Easter, with employees making traditional martenitsi, Easter bread, and painted eggs sold at bazaars, raising over BGN 1,500
- The Global Challenge – 12 fundraising initiatives in June 2024, raising BGN 26,684 to support the opening of two new play centers in small municipalities near Plovdiv
- Christmas campaign – employees and volunteers purchased Christmas presents for 166 children living in vulnerable environments
On a strategic level, a key goal is to involve Generali’s clients in the initiative. In 2024, 45 insurance agents from 31 offices across Sofia and the country became Engaged Sellers, promoting the initiative locally. During the Global Challenge, they joined the joint campaign “Take/Donate a Book – Bring a Smile to a Child.”
Services Supported by Generali’s Partnership
For children:
- Rehabilitation and motor skills development
- Early childhood intervention
- Music and art therapy
- Social rehabilitation and play-based social skills development
- Socialization and developmental activities
For families:
- Psychological counseling
- Parenting skills workshops and support groups
- Counseling to strengthen parent-child bonds
- Family therapy
- Individual child development consultations
- Mediation for access to health, educational, and social services
- Coordination with institutions to ensure inclusion of children in education, healthcare, and social systems
- Parenting skills training and counseling during pregnancy and newborn care
- Identification of at-risk families and referral to social services
For professionals:
- Support for multidisciplinary needs assessments for children
- Training on working with children with special needs
- Training on working with families in vulnerable situations
- Reflection and peer-support groups
- Individual and group case work
Results
The uniqueness of this partnership was recognized at the national level. In 2024, Generali Insurance AD and the For Our Children Foundation won the “Most Successful Partnership” award at the Corporate Donor competition – a recognition of a model where business does not simply donate, but actively engages, inspires, and transforms.
- In 2024, support and real change reached 2,200 children and 1,700 parents from 31 locations in the Sofia and Plovdiv regions.
- A survey among 162 parents showed that 83% better understand their child’s needs thanks to the program, and more than half report improved parenting skills.
- Two new play centers opened in 2024, bringing the total to five in the municipalities of Elin Pelin, Maritsa, Rakovski, Stamboliyski, and Saedinenie.
These are not just numbers – they are real human stories where support has changed lives. Such results are made possible by the unique partnership model that combines strategic funding, volunteering, professional expertise, and personal engagement. The Human Safety Net Bulgaria is not just an initiative – it is a community that grows and thrives thanks to a shared vision for a better future for children in Bulgaria.
Additional Information
Beyond The Human Safety Net, Generali Insurance AD colleagues across the country continued in 2024 to reaffirm their commitment to local communities by supporting a wide range of events focused on promoting active and healthy lifestyles. They participated as sponsors, volunteers, and ambassadors at major sports events such as the Galata–Varna swimming marathon, the Yordan Yovchev tournament, street fitness competitions, and basketball festivals. The company also supported local cultural and social initiatives in different regions, believing that this contribution helps build stronger, more vibrant communities.
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