Power of community

At Liberty Mutual we believe in the power of community and the importance of giving back. For many years Liberty Mutual has organized “Serve with Liberty” to support fantastic local causes, meet new people, and develop teamwork skills. It provides us with an occasion to do something completely different to our normal day job and connect with our colleagues outside the office.

It is a humbling experience to directly witness the positive change we are contributing to, reminding us of the importance of coming together as a community to give back to those in need. Beyond the tangible contributions, the events also serve as a valuable team-building exercise. Collaborating outside of our usual work environment allows us to strengthen bonds, foster creativity and build a stronger sense of unity among the team members. 

In the EMEA region we organize “Serve with Liberty” in every office according to the current needs of the community. Some example projects this year include the following:

In Cologne, we worked with the family service/life council to spruce up their youth centre. We focused on various aspects such as renovating the space, repairing bicycles and other devices and creating a welcoming and empowering environment that fosters growth, learning and connection for young people in the community.

Our colleagues in London volunteered at the Stepney City Farm - a 4.5 acre working farm; a rural oasis, in the heart of Tower Hamlets. It gives children and adults a chance to meet farm animals, learn how to grow food and try out art and crafts. Our Liberty Torchbearers helped them with general duties like cleaning out the animal enclosures and harvesting crops. 

In Madrid, we joined Fundación Apsuria on a day visit to the city Zoo. Fundación Apsuria offers school programs and residence to people with learning difficulties, so they can live, learn, and ultimately work, meaning they can be fully integrated into society. The foundation is very happy to be able to organize such an activity, as it would be practically impossible without the help of volunteers. In Barcelona, we participated in our inaugural “Liberty Serve Day” with one-to-one mentoring in Fundación Aura. Fundación Aura works with people with learning difficulties, supporting them to find work. Foundation members receive master classes in different skills, such as typing, maths, writing CVs, etc. and can partake in activities such as theatre. We support by answering questions, explaining different types of roles and companies, and finally motivating them to pursue their day-to-day jobs.

Italian colleagues from Milan contributed by organizing a food collection promoted by SOS Bambini, our charity partner for the past two years. The food collected will be used to support the families helped by SOS Bambini. 

In Paris, on 7th June our colleagues joined the Association Kanalien, which is responsible for cleaning up the riverbanks of the Seine. In September the team will participate in the harvest of vegetables at “La Ferme de Gally”. All the vegetables will be reverted to the association “Les Restaurants du Coeur” which is responsible for serving meals for families with economics difficulties.

As one of our colleagues Robert Huggins said last year: 

“When you do something generous, you get something out of it too.”

We are incredibly proud of our team’s efforts and grateful for the chance to make a difference. As we reflect on this meaningful experience, we are inspired to continue finding ways to support our community and create a positive impact, both locally and globally.