Zurich’s Flood Resilience Alliance phase 1

By using our risk expertise as a global insurer, Zurich helps customers and communities to reduce the devastating impacts of floods, even before a flood hits – we call this flood resilience. Floods affect more people globally than any other type of natural hazard and cause some of the largest economic, social and humanitarian losses. Loss of life and economic and insured losses are increasing in many regions, and flood risks are more interconnected and interdependent than ever.

In 2013, Zurich, together with academic institutions and NGO partners, developed a flood resilience model with innovative pre-event mitigation measures to help the poorest communities in the world protect themselves from floods.

The Z Zurich Foundation (‘Foundation’) made contributions to all partners over the course of the program, totaling CHF 37 million. Meanwhile, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. (‘Zurich’) funded a dedicated program team, in addition to significant senior management input, as well as resources at local country level in Indonesia and Mexico where local programs were run.

Through the use of the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC), we find that overall there is a very positive direction in resilience between the start and the end of the programs. Many communities are increasing their flood resilience. With very few exceptions, resilience measurement results have gone up in all program communities over the duration of the program. One important – but unquantifiable – impact has been the level of collaboration, exchange and sharing of knowledge across country programs. Even though it is difficult to quantify specific figures, we know that the Alliance’s DRR activities have made a difference and benefited a great number of people. The IFRC, Practical Action and IIASA have continued as members of the Alliance in phase 2.

Read more about 2013-2018 in Executive summary - The Zurich flood resilience program

The total number of direct beneficiaries of the Alliance is approximately 225,000.

Global presence to reach the most vulnerable communities

Through our cooperation with the IFRC, part of our flood resilience alliance, the program can reach communities right across the world through 189 national societies.

Technical innovations offer insights into how climate change affects floods

Practical Action is developing innovative ideas on ways technology can improve the lives of the poorest.

Finding new ways of improving flood resilience

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), a non-governmental research organization based in Austria and the Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S contributed with their flood resilience research.

Flood Resilience Alliance phase 2

In July 2018 we launched the second phase of the Flood Resilience Alliance.

New solutions for the age-old problem of floods

Fish ponds, mangrove tree buffers, amphibious homes – these are just some of the promising ideas the ‘Water Window Challenge’ has generated to help communities become more resilient and better able to deal with floods.