Fortis Marathon Rotterdam again devoted to charity

 

As the proud official sponsor of the Marathon Rotterdam, Fortis is delighted that a record number of runners - 1,250 of whom are Fortis employees - will take part in this year's race. Fortis Running Ambassadors - Fortis employees competing in one of the marathon races - canrun for a good cause, the Fortis Charity Challenge.

 

The Fortis Charity Challenge offers four charitable organisations a platform to collect money through anybody involved in the marathon (runners, spectators and business). This year's challenge will raise funds for the World Cancer Research Fund, Médicins Sans Frontières, National Fund for the Handicapped in Sports (Fonds Gehandicaptensport) and the Ronald McDonald Sophia House in Rotterdam. Each charity has organised a number of unique fundraising activities specially for the Fortis Charity Challenge, and Fortis in turn will make a separate donation to each organisation. The amount of the contribution depends on the total sum each organisation has collected.

 

The Fortis Charity Challenge is not the only charitable initiative to take centre stage at this year's event. Fortis Insurance Netherlands and Child Welfare have joined forces to take on the marathon. This initiative was born of a partnership between the two known as 'Insured of Child Welfare', the aim of which is to bring together the world of Fortis and that of young people and Child Welfare.

 

In the spirit of the 'Youth and Sports' theme, a number of teams will be formed to run in the 5- or 10-km race on 15 April. Each team will consist of one employee from Fortis Insurance, one from a child welfare organisation, and two young people from that organisation who are between 16 and 18 years of age.

 

Fortis has been the official sponsor of the Rotterdam Marathon since 1996. Over the years, this event has become one of Europe's most high-profile marathons. Fortis and the organisers of the race are firmly committed to the top competitors and recreational runners as well as to the event's image. Besides this marathon, Fortis is the sponsor and partner of a number of other running events throughout the year, such as the Fortis City Pier City run and Fortis Marathon Utrecht. At the latter event, which was held on Easter Sunday this year, the Kenyan Mariko Kiplagat broke the course record.

 

Fortis is an international financial services provider engaged in banking and insurance. We offer our personal, business and institutional customers a comprehensive package of products and services through our own channels, in collaboration with intermediaries and through other distribution partners. With a market capitalisation of EUR 44.6 billion (31/03/2007), Fortis ranks among the 20 largest financial institutions in Europe. Our sound solvency position, our presence in 50 countries and our dedicated, professional workforce of 60,000 enable us to combine global strength with local flexibility and provide our clients with optimum support. More information is available at www.fortis.com.