QBE North America Demonstrates its Commitment to Sustainability; Announces QBE and Ashoka Urban Resilience Challenge

NEW YORK, March 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- QBE North America, an Integrated Specialist Insurer, in collaboration with Ashoka is excited to announce the launch of the QBE and Ashoka Urban Resilience Challenge. The countrywide challenge will highlight bold and impactful innovation around city ecosystems.

Recognizing a need to build more resilience and risk-adverse cities, the unique collaboration was developed to encourage social entrepreneurs across the United States whose ventures can effectively manage and respond to an evolving environment of physical, economic, and social risk.

"At QBE, it's not just about what we do, it's how we do things. Investing in the communities where we live and work demonstrates our commitment to fostering a better, more sustainable future," said Russ Johnston, CEO, QBE North America. "Through this challenge, it is our hope that we may help start a movement where people work together to activate powerful innovations that can change the world."

This program also reflects QBE's commitment-- in North America and globally--to align with the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) to make a meaningful impact. Specifically, this initiative aligns with the Sustainable cities and Communities, No Poverty and Decent Work and Economic Growth SDGs.

"Ashoka and QBE believe in the power of innovation--that the key to building thriving, resilient cities lies with social entrepreneurs who are championing new, transformative ideas. We're thrilled to be collaborating on an initiative to search for and support these entrepreneurs across the United States," said Tim Scheu, Director of Partnership Management, Global Partnerships Team, Ashoka.

Scheu continued, "A social entrepreneur is someone with the vision, creativity, and persistence to conceive of and iterate upon solutions to society's biggest problems. Ashoka and QBE are searching for these visionaries committed to tackling America's urban resilience, and we're thrilled to support their work."

Contest Details:

The QBE and Ashoka Urban Resilience Challenge will recognize and support transformative, product-centered, technical innovations from for-profit organizations that are impacting policy and the broader urban ecosystem. We're looking for a wide range of ideas tackling a diversity of issues including: 

• The Built Environment- Innovations which improve a city's ability to manage its physical assets (buildings, land, and infrastructure) through a natural disaster, environmental degradation, and the overall capacity needs of urban spaces.

• Sustainable Economies- Innovations which expand the economic ecosystem and diversity within a city, including the creation of new industries through technology.

• Food/Water/Waste- Innovations which improve access to sustainable and healthy food, clean water and reducing commercial and residential waste.

• Public Health & Safety- Innovations which improve welfare and protection of the public, environmental health and behavior, city livability, and access to justice, rule of law, and law enforcement.

Enter the challenge here.

About Ashoka

Ashoka identifies and supports the world's leading social entrepreneurs, learns from the patterns in their innovations, and mobilizes a global community that embraces these new frameworks to build an "everyone a changemaker world." Over thirty years, Ashoka has supported more than 3,500 social entrepreneurs with solutions addressing society's most pressing issues. Ashoka's vision is a world in which Everyone is a Changemaker?a society that responds quickly and effectively to social challenges, and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem. Learn more at www.ashoka.org

About QBE

QBE North America, an integrated specialist insurer, is part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, one of the largest insurers and reinsurers worldwide. QBE NA reported Gross Written Premiums in 2018 of $4.7 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2018 results can be found at www.qbe.com. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 31 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. The actual terms and coverage for all lines of business are subject to the language of the policies as issued. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbe.com/us, or follow QBE North America on Twitter.

SOURCE QBE