Anna Schaffelhuber attends diversity day at Allianz SE

The goal was to provide them with an insight into day-to-day operations and promote an inclusive work environment at Allianz SE.

Six Paralympic athletes, including Anna Schaffelhuber - a winner of five gold medals at Sochi 2014 and also a law student, took part in the day, benefiting from the close partnership between Allianz and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

In his welcome speech, Allianz SE Board Member Clem Booth opened the day by emphasising that discrimination of any form was not acceptable. Of South African origin, he has learnt this lesson early on and is committed to make a difference ever since. He firmly believes that it will be a key success factor for Allianz that “everyone who looks through the windows of our offices can find himself on the other side. We are looking for talented and highly motivated people – regardless if they are able-bodied or not. Working in diverse teams results in better outcomes, and it is more fun.”

Over the course over the day, the students had the opportunity to accompany an executive manager of Allianz and experience a "normal" working day, including conference calls, meetings, working sessions, etc. The day was closed by an informal exchange on learnings and insights of the day as well as information about working student job openings.

Andrè Bienek, a German wheelchair basketball player who just recently finished his International Studies with a bachelor’s degree, summarized his experiences as follows: “This day definitely changed my opinion about Allianz as an employer. It was a wonderful experience and I can definitely imagine working here in the future.”