The insurer Generali Deutschland established the foundation The Human Safety Net in 2017. The goal was to redefine the strategy for social impact. Across countries and partnerships, The Human Safety Net is strongly integrated into the corporation and collaborates with national foundations, as Patrick Hoffmann explains.
His team implements the corporate strategy for social engagement through the foundation. In this way, they build an important bridge between society and the private sector. "The idea is always to mobilize as much know-how, competencies, and resources as possible for our partners in civil society," says Patrick Hoffmann.
The foundation is primarily active in two areas. The For Families program focuses on early childhood development. "It's about giving children from disadvantaged families the best start in life," describes Patrick Hoffmann. This includes investments in family centers, parenting courses, and digital platforms.
The second category is the support of people with refugee and migration experiences. Since a job is a fundamental basis for integration, The Human Safety Net supports this through qualification and placement, as well as in business creation. "The common thread between these two quite different areas of support is to unlock human potential and enable social participation," emphasizes Patrick Hoffmann.
Potential partners and programs should not only fit thematically. It is also a question of impact. "We always look (...): what is the evidence behind it? (...) We are also very interested in scalability," says Patrick Hoffmann. Because the funding is not unlimited. Rather, partners and programs should transition into regular structures over time, be financially sustainable, and ideally rely on partnerships.
Especially regarding state aid, it is essential to find the interface. All support, both that funded by The Human Safety Net and that from job centers or other public institutions, should, as much as possible, interconnect. The goal is, as Patrick Hoffmann outlines, important impact-oriented action and the "endgame" of the foundation.
