WE ARE - Wiener Städtische

16 ANNUAL REPORT 2010 | Wiener StädtiSche
»... Wiener StädtiSche’S SucceSS iS
»Our reinSurAnce
POlicY hAS PrOVen
itS VAlue.«
Peter Höfinger
advisors provide the high level of
professional service demanded by
the market. We use something similar
to a double-brand strategy here.
The image of our Company, and its
success, are a product of both the
“Wiener Städtische” brand and the
personal “brand” of each individual
employee. Wiener Städtische’s success
is also the success of each individual
employee, and vice versa. This
is why we invest large sums in training
and advanced training, motivation,
and the development of young employees,
as well as the targeted use
of experienced employee expertise,
and the use of job rotation to promote
networking within the Group. High
priority is also given to informational
events and training courses for our
field staff, who are of key importance
to our sales.
Without our employees, we could not
have achieved the good result we reported
for the year just ended, and
I would like to take the opportunity
here to thank them deeply for their
past and future support.
Mr. Lasshofer, you took on the position
of CEO in August 2010. What does this
mean for you personally, and what areas
are you planning to focus on?
Lasshofer: The need for security has
been with us since the dawn of mankind,
and I would like to build on this
basic principle to further strengthen
Wiener Städtische’s leading position
in the market. We want to continue to
follow the successful path we are on,
and add further to our achievements.
Our challenge, therefore, is to further
improve our position as number 1. In
terms of what the new position means
to me personally, it brings great en-
joyment, but also brings a high level
of responsibility, both to our employees
and our customers. I am pleased
to take on the challenge!
Two members of the Managing Board
are women. This is completely unheard
of for a large Austrian company.
What are your thoughts about equal
treatment in general?
Dornaus: The situation is excellent
at Wiener Städtische, but society as
a whole unfortunately has a long way
to catch up. We don’t need a quota
system in the Company; everything
is simply based on performance. This
holds true for all areas of the company,
including the Managing Board. Of
the total 1,546 inside employees of
Wiener Städtische, 953 are women.
That is more than 60%.
Havasi: As another example, we also
have one of the first company daycare
centres in Austria, with 105 children
currently registered. This also
fits the image we have of ourselves as
a first mover. One result is that 90% of
mothers return after maternity leave,
which is likely to be a new record. We
also use targeted measures to encourage
women to join the Company.
Each year, for example, the Company
holds a “Daughters’ Day” event,
where the daughters of employees
can learn more about the professional
careers available for women in the
insurance industry. At the same time,
equal treatment is also an important
principle for us in other areas. For
example, Wiener Städtische has 96
employees with disabilities.
What is the situation in terms of corporate
social responsibility, in particular,
sponsoring?