ALLIANZ EUROPEAN RELIANCE

Allianz's strategic direction is to contribute to the community in which it operates. For this reason, the sustainable development of the local economy, innovation and the strengthening of entrepreneurship are the goals of the actions it implements. In this context, Allianz joined forces with the Bodossaki Foundation in the Thought for Food program, to help create prospects for sustainable development in the Greek region. Thought for Food is an innovative program that creates conditions for the healthy development of the Greek region. One of the pillars of the program is biotechnological research to identify the special nutritional properties of agri-food products with the aim of highlighting their added value. The cultivation of vegetables, both outdoors and under cover (greenhouse), is characterized by the existence of serious quantities of secondary products, the commercial value of which is either very low or not marketable. The amount of these products, depending on the year, can vary from 15 to 30% of the total production. In most cases, this quantity is not used and is disposed of in landfills. This phenomenon has led to the search for ways to exploit it, through the creation of innovative products. The aim of the action is to implement an innovative way of exploiting this quantity of products and to create a new product with commercial value that will contribute to sustainable development and the reduction of waste.
 

Directly benefiting from the program is a group of 9 young and qualified farmers, from the area of Moira - Tympakio, who are engaged in the cultivation of vegetables in a total area of approximately 800 acres. In the group's area of activity, the quantities of secondary products are very high because there are approximately 6,500 hectares of greenhouse vegetable cultivation, which either remain in the field during certain periods when their price is low and it is not profitable to harvest and dispose of them, or are sent to landfills simply because of their shape or size that makes them unmarketable. In the context of an agricultural entrepreneurship course attended by the 9 farmers, at the KEK of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce, the need to create a new product from the vegetables that are not being used was highlighted, which will be commercially available to tourist businesses and catering establishments of Crete as a complementary or alternative and healthier nutritional option.

In a broader context of the scope of the action, this innovative energy has a strong social impact, contributing to the development of the rural areas of Crete through the strengthening of its circular economy. In simple words, the local agricultural community in the areas of activity of the producer group, will benefit from the progressive creation of a new production and consumption model that allows the use of agricultural products for a much longer time while minimizing the use of natural resources, leading to sustainable development and in reducing the environmental footprint of the area.

1 year, January 2018-December 2018

The action for the utilization of second grade vegetable products in Crete is being developed in collaboration with the American Agricultural School (AGS), which designed a project with the aim of research and development of the new product. For the utilization of vegetables, the American School of Agriculture has chosen the solution of creating chips as well as vegetable dips. These are dehydrated slices or strips of vegetables (individual or mixed) that can be eaten either individually or offered in places of dining and entertainment. These two products were selected as most suitable by the American College of Agriculture to provide added value and a significant increase in the shelf life of second grade products. During the previous months, at the facilities of the American Agricultural School in Thessaloniki, laboratory analyzes and tests of various recipes from vegetables, produced by the beneficiaries of the program, were carried out. The vegetables used individually and/or in combination were sweet potatoes, eggplants, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, onions, red peppers and table olives, while Cretan extra virgin olive oil was also used as a key ingredient. Afterwards, the recipes tested were recorded and evaluated, in order to select those that presented special organoleptic characteristics. This process identified 4 products as most special. The different pastes were produced and pasteurized in suitable packaging. During the current phase of the project, the American College of Agriculture is studying the stability of the chemical structure of the products and the microbiological safety of the dips in environmental conditions in order to estimate the shelf life of the products. At the same time, the results of the analyzes carried out on the nutritional value of both dips and vegetable chips are expected in the next period. This information is essential for the proper development and planning of new foods as well as for their branding.

Upon completion of the project at the end of October 2018, a final report with the final results is expected.
 

Bodosaki Foundation

For the implementation of the program, Allianz collaborated with the Bodosaki Foundation. The Bodosaki Foundation is one of the most important non-profit institutions in the country with a long history of responsibility and multi-faceted action. With deep knowledge of social needs and priorities as well as the field of NGOs active throughout Greece, the Bodosakis Foundation team proposes and manages programs and actions aimed at achieving the greatest social impact and providing solutions to social problems.

American College of Agriculture

The American Agricultural School of Thessaloniki is the leading educational institution in southeastern Europe in the fields of agriculture, food systems, environmental studies and other life sciences related to the sustainability of the future. It was founded in 1904 as an independent, non-profit organization by American educators and to this day applies the "learn by doing" method at all levels of education.

The human resources of Allianz Greece had the opportunity, through a series of educational meetings, to watch the presentation of the program by the company's Management itself, to be informed about the objectives of the corporate social responsibility program and the positive impact of the actions implemented. Through the social awakening and awareness of its human resources, Allianz also aims to plan voluntary actions of its employees, in the immediate future.

Tympaki Crete

The action offers significant social and environmental benefits. Specifically:

• Better utilization of produced vegetables.
• Limiting waste and reducing the burden on the environment.
• Development of a circular economy system as the by-products of a production process will be used to create new products.
• Development of a new manufacturing sector at the local level.
• Increasing farmers' income.
• Creation of a group of producers that will jointly utilize second grade products.
   

Allianz Greece is helping a group of producers from Crete to develop an innovative product. The implementation of this action has two benefits for the company: It is an initiative with a substantial social impact that contributes to strengthening its action as a Responsible Corporate Citizen and to increasing its contribution to the economic community in which it operates. At the same time, however, it also has a strong environmental impact, an area of corporate responsibility in which Allianz aims to participate more actively in the future through the social responsibility program it plans on an annual basis.