Zurich marks 150 year journey from startup to leading global insurer

• Free public transportation offered in Zurich metropolitan area on Oct. 22
• Amazônia exhibition by photographer Sebastião Salgado brought to city of Zurich in 2023

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is marking its 150-year anniversary this week by thanking those who have contributed to its success and projecting confidence in the future – a confidence based on the strength of its business and long experience of adapting to change.

Ever since the company was founded in the city of Zurich on October 22, 1872 – originally as a marine reinsurer known as Versicherungs-Verein – Zurich has helped businesses, families and communities to prosper and grow. By reacting constructively to challenges as the modern world emerged, Zurich has evolved into a global business covering more than 210 countries and territories.

“Zurich is in a position to celebrate today because of its ability to successfully navigate an uncertain world,” said Michel M. Liès, Chairman of Zurich. “The last few years have shown that Zurich is as agile and successful as ever and in a very strong position. As we mark this special milestone, we want to celebrate our history and thank our customers, our communities, and our employees in every corner of the world.”

Mario Greco, Group Chief Executive Officer, added: “In recent years we’ve delivered record combined ratios, strong business operating profit and continued top-line growth. Our strong financial position, balanced portfolio and firm reputation enable us to celebrate this anniversary with confidence in our future, knowing that we can be there for our customers and communities when they need us most.”

Since the start of 2016, Zurich has jumped from 10th to 7th-largest insurer globally by market capitalization, and is now No. 2 in Europe. In this period, Zurich has delivered a Total Shareholder Return of 145%, compared with 27% for the STOXX Europe 600 Insurance Index, and customer and employee satisfaction have risen. This performance was achieved against the backdrop of extreme weather events, global pandemic, war in Europe and inflation.

October 22: free public transportation

Zurich is celebrating its relationships with the community and its ambition to create a positive impact by giving travelers in the Zurich metropolitan area a special gift: free public transportation on October 22 throughout the Zurich Transport Network (ZVV).

“Zurich has always been our home and has been instrumental in shaping our brand,” said Conny Kalcher, Group Chief Customer Officer. “This special action shows our appreciation of Zurich – its people, the city and the canton. We also hope to inspire everyone to take action to protect our planet, whether the contributions are big or small.”

Bringing the Amazônia exhibition to Zurich in 2023

As part of the 150-year celebrations, Zurich is also bringing to Switzerland the Amazônia exhibition featuring works by award-winning Brazilian photojournalist Sebastião Salgado. It will run exclusively at the MAAG Halle in the city of Zurich from May 31 to September 24, 2023.

Curated and designed by Lélia Wanick Salgado, the exhibition shows the fragility of our environment and pays homage to those working to preserve our planet. Visitors can experience the rainforest through objects and recreations of life among indigenous people. A soundtrack specially created by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre heightens the immersive experience.

Zurich is the main global sponsor of the exhibition, which has been shown in Rome, London, São Paulo, Manchester, Avignon and Rio de Janeiro. The city of Zurich is an additional stop that was not not originally planned on the global tour.

Zurich’s support for the exhibition builds on a more extensive project to raise awareness for the importance of climate action. Since 2020, Zurich has been sponsoring a targeted nature restoration project in Brazil in collaboration with Instituto Terra, a non-profit environmental organization founded by Sebastião and Lélia Salgado.

The eight-year project is converting barren farmland in the Atlantic Forest region back into native forest that is rich in plant and animal life, by planting 1 million carefully selected native trees. As part of the anniversary celebrations, Zurich will dedicate 150,000 trees in the Zurich Forest project to its employees.

A ‘living’ anniversary book

Marking the anniversary, Zurich has produced a digital book with texts and imagery that bring to life the company’s evolution. The project includes a ‘living book’ section for first-person contributions from employees that will continuously be updated, allowing it to be enjoyed well into the future. The stories told by Zurich’s people highlight personal insights and anecdotes from those who have supported, and continue to support Zurich’s transformation.

The book was created together with the young, Zurich-based design agency Panda & Pinguin, set up in 2017 by two former Swiss journalists, Andrea Bleicher and Sabina Sturzenegger. The book is available online, with a limited number of CO2-neutral print copies.

Further Information

Zurich’s 150th anniversary

Zurich’s 150th anniversary book

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