Press release -
Allianz launches search for the ‘Unsung Heroes of Sport’
- During June local sports clubs across the UK are invited to apply for the Allianz Unity Awards by sharing a video showing how they promote unity through sport.
- Winners will receive financial support to expand their community-building efforts.
Allianz is proud to launch the Unity Awards which celebrate the unifying power of sport. The awards are part of Allianz’s long-term ‘Power of Unity’ programme that aims to overcome division and unite people around a shared cause in an increasingly polarised world.
The brand-new initiative invites local sports clubs, trainers, teammates or parents from the UK to share their personal ‘unity through sport’ story in a 30 second video to shine a light on the everyday champions who use sport to shape values, build character and bridge social and cultural divides.
Award recipients will be chosen in multiple categories including coach, teammate, club supporter, and parent. Winners will receive Unity jerseys, recognising their contributions to fostering inclusion, addressing social challenges, and creating lasting impact through sport.
The winners will receive public recognition and financial support to strengthen their community-building efforts. This support may take the form of new team jerseys, clubhouse renovations, training workshops, or other needs identified by the recipients.
A recent study by Allianz and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which surveyed 5,000 people aged 12 to 24 years, and 2,000 parents of 12- to 18-year-olds across 10 countries, showed that sport can provide a vital sense of belonging, joy, and hope. A total of 77% said sports help them to make new friends, 58% feel they belong to a community when playing, while 72% believe in the societal importance of sport. These insights highlight the importance of supporting grassroots efforts and amateur clubs that acknowledge the power of sport to overcome division and bring people together – the sentiment which the Unity Awards seek to capture.
Carolyn Rich, Director of Brand, Allianz UK, said: “At Allianz we strongly believe in the power of sport to unite people. We know firsthand from our work with community grass roots clubs across the UK, that there are many inspirational and deserving unsung sporting heroes out there. We are very excited to hear their stories and celebrate the incredible role they play in bringing people from all backgrounds together around a shared passion.”
How to participate
The Unity awards are open to individuals, teams, and clubs from amateur to professional levels who can demonstrate the use of sport to unite people. Coaches, teammates, club supporters, parents, or volunteers can be nominated or apply themselves.
Sports clubs that work towards reducing prejudice, building resilience, and challenging stereotypes by promoting tolerance, are welcome to apply for the Allianz Unity Awards.
To participate, applicants are invited to submit a short self-made video (under 30 seconds) sharing their personal “unity through sport” story. Entries can be submitted either:
- Through social media using the hashtag #AllianzUnityAwards, or
- By email through the Power of Unity content hub.
The application period runs from June 1-30, 2025. Further details and information about the application process can be found here.
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About Allianz Holdings plc
Allianz Holdings plc is the non-regulated holding company which owns the principal insurance operations of Allianz SE in Great Britain including Allianz Insurance.
About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with around 128 million* private and corporate customers in nearly 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 776 billion euros** on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 1.9 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2024, over 156,000 employees achieved total business volume of 179.8 billion euros and an operating profit of 16.0 billion euros for the group.
* Including non-consolidated entities with Allianz customers.
** As of December 31, 2024.
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