Corporate responsibility has become a common expectation by customers and is an integral part of their purchase decision, but in real terms, what does that mean?
When
RSA Canada announced their transformation in early 2015, corporate responsibility was already a key component to how the company wanted to conduct business in the coming years.
“We’ve had a corporate responsibility approach for quite some time, and our transformation offered an opportunity to further integrate that responsibility into business decisions that are being made,” says Paula Bernardino, RSA’s regional communications and corporate responsibility partner. “One thing that we want to do is bring our brokers into our corporate responsibility program by getting them more involved and aware of what we’re doing.”
Bernardino explains that RSA has three corporate responsibility pillars aligned with issues of concern to the insurance industry, the company and its brokers. One of these pillars is
Sustainable Future.
“Our industry is very much impacted by climate change, so we look for ways to help our clients deal with related extreme weather conditions,” says Bernardino. “We focus on providing consumers advice in engaging and interesting ways, as we recognize that how consumers want to receive information is changing. We communicate climate change information and tips in various ways such as tip sheets, articles, videos, and infographics.”
As an example, Bernardino highlights RSA’s website portal
Climate Smart where brokers can find tips and updates that they can take to their clients. “Brokers play an important role by sharing this information to help clients mitigate the impact of climate change,” she says.
Another pillar is
Safe, Secure World, which focuses on safety.
“We make efforts to provide safety tips to our brokers, who can then easily share with their clients,” Bernardino told
Insurance Business. “We often focus on seasonal tips such as safe driving in winter storms and preparing your cottage in the spring and how to close it up in the fall. Any time we can provide safety tips we do it.”
In 2014, RSA implemented a regional program in the third pillar,
Thriving Communities, which looks at creating a positive social impact wherever they do business.
“We let our regional offices choose causes and charities that they want to support for that year,” she says. “Every January we send an email with a survey, targeted by office, and they decide which 3 charities they want to support.”
Bernardino says that they look for opportunities to collaborate with brokers on thriving community initiatives. For example, in 2014 RSA employees and brokers from across Canada came together and partnered with the organization
Bridges to Community Canada to help build homes in Nicaragua.
Beyond helping local charities and clients, the corporate responsibility initiative is a great tool to market the RSA brand on a national and local level, demonstrating to brokers and clients that the company is invested in the community, and invested in making a difference.
That commitment to corporate responsibility will take another step in 2016, coming in the form of a new partnership with a renowned environmental organization. More details will be shared in early 2016.
“We will be focusing our efforts on a sustainable future,” says Bernardino. “We will be putting forward some initiatives and collaborations with this organization that we will be offering our brokers.”
To learn more about RSA’s corporate social responsibility program, visit their website
here.
