ESG initiatives

PZU iAgro is a new initiative of PZU aimed at supporting farming producers with the use of artificial intelligence. In a pilot project, 15 farmers and orchard growers received state-of-the-art measurement stations which assist, among others, in reducing the scope of herbicides application and in growing harvestable crops.

A system of disease infection monitoring and alerts allows the producers to specify precisely when and in what scope protective measures should be applied. Indeed, a herbicide procedure performed too late or incorrect identification of the pathogen may reduce the crop yield, which in turn creates financial loss. When herbicide applications are reduced in frequency, less carbon dioxide is emitted into the air, and the increased crop yield - the so-called plant health - allows the leaves to assimilate and capture more carbon dioxide. The pilot project will also analyze reduction in emissions and CO2 capture.

How does it work? Using a GSM module, a station sends data from the sensors to a server storing disease models developed by scientists from around the world. The system of disease infections monitoring and alerts is based on the data provided by meteorological stations and mathematical models. Based on this information, the probability of plant disease occurring is calculated. As a result, crop losses are reduced and unnecessary applications of herbicides are limited.

The server collects data from the monitoring stations and photo traps located nearby. It also suggests the best time of the day for spraying. The monitoring systems and disease models are used free-of-charge by 15 farmers and orchard growers.

For its business clients, PZU LAB prepared a service which provides more efficient energy management in buildings as well as reduction of CO2 emissions.

The Smart Energy Management System allows clients to integrate all the material energy sources in a manner leading to a reduction of its unnecessary use or excessive consumption.

The combination of state-of-the-art IT technologies, monitoring of ambient conditions in buildings, algorithmic control of devices consuming energy in higher and lower energy need periods, may produce savings of 15-30%. The benefits of the Smart Energy Management System, in the form of lower consumption of all types of energy, and the measurable reduction of CO2 emissions, are well aligned with the needs of preparing companies to face the challenges posed by the energy market.

In collaboration with young scientists and engineers, PZU LAB has implemented a pioneering technology to monitor the impact of painting processes performed in the Gdańsk Repair Shipyard on the neighboring areas and the natural environment.

The pollution detection system is a tool that has automated the so far manual process of paint particle deposition monitoring. As a result, potential environmental problems can be eliminated and the processes of ship hull painting can be improved. It is the first solution of that type ever implemented in Polish shipyards. The project uses the technology of visual computer-aided monitoring. The applied artificial intelligence algorithms detect colors and shapes of the observed depositions and splashes. The device starts up in pre-planned intervals in a 24/7 cycle and sends information on the paint dust density and its incremental growth in the monitoring locations to a database, as well as to the designated persons by email.

As a result, the deposited paint molecules can be detected much faster than in a manual checking process performed by a shipyard employee. Given that the measurements are in real time, the process is also much more accurate and safer - once paint molecules are detected, the device automatically sends an alert to the responsible persons. The photos taken are saved in the device memory with a time stamp, which clearly identifies the moment of the splash and allows the environmental damage risk to be mitigated.

In March 2023, PZU launched another round of the program “Bicycle instead of a courtesy car”.

Under this program, customers who had got into an accident and require a repair of their vehicle lasting 7 days or more, could choose to receive a courtesy vehicle for the time of the repair or a bicycle for them to keep forever. The program is designed to promote a healthy lifestyle, care for the natural environment and reduction of exhaust fumes emissions.

Moreover, PZU promotes electric vehicles as courtesy cars as an alternative to combustion fuel vehicles.

PZU Client Relationship Manager assists the injured party and their family at each stage of the recovery process. They help in the identification of the injured person’s actual needs and situation, and in the correct appraisal of the personal injury claim.

The multi-faceted assistance that a PZU Client Relationship Manager may provide to the injured person includes:

• psychological support in the form of stationary therapeutic and recreational camps for children and their families suffering from trauma caused by the accident, 
• support in the form of at home or remote psychological consultations for persons who have experienced post-accident trauma,
• a Rehabilitation Program for persons who sustained serious bodily injuries in accidents, provided in the medical centers of PZU Zdrowie and other medical facilities collaborating with PZU,
• a program of prosthetic device provision for persons who lost a limb in an accident and require a customized device, provided by prosthetics producers collaborating with PZU
• legal information provided by a PZU Pomoc expert as regards obtaining a court permit to enter into a settlement in a personal injury case in favor of a minor,
• information support as regards the claims that the injured person is entitled to and documentation that is needed to handle the claim, and
• possibility of receiving benefits or other allowances from government institutions and non-governmental organizations.