"Living our mission and building a healthier California requires us to be present in our communities and show up as a positive force," said Mike Stuart, interim president and CEO, Blue Shield of California. "This recognition is a testament to the passion and commitment of our employees and how we come together to make a positive difference for our members, communities and planet. We are very proud to be recognized again by The Civic 50 for our strong culture of philanthropy and our dedication to living out our mission."
The Civic 50 honorees are top community-minded companies in the United States with annual revenues of at least $1 billion. Honorees are selected through an annual survey that evaluates the scale, sophistication and impact of their employee volunteering, community engagement and corporate philanthropy work.
Blue Shield is one of California's largest health plans with more than 7,500 employees, serving 6 million members. Blue Shield is a nonprofit health plan that voluntarily caps its income at 2% of revenue, returning the difference back to customers and California communities.
"In an ever-evolving landscape, companies are looking to ensure that they can meet the needs of their communities, customers and stakeholders," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, Points of Light. "Companies like Blue Shield of California are leading the way in showing how social impact benefits their employees' well-being, strengthens the communities where they do business, and brings value and meaning to their work. Their efforts provide a model for others looking to bring the benefits of volunteering and social impact to their workforce and they're extremely deserving of this recognition."
An honoree in 2021, 2023 and 2024, Blue Shield was recognized this year for a variety of programs including:
Record-breaking employee volunteerism and giving
Nearly every employee (99%) gave back in 2024, volunteering more than 68,000 hours and donating over $1.6 million (including company match) to more than 2,600 nonprofit organizations. The company facilitated more than 375 volunteer events, ranging from home repairs and tree plantings, to fundraising for therapy animal programs and diabetes prevention.
Investing in communities
In 2024, the health plan contributed $20 million to its Blue Shield of California Foundation, which supported 99 grants to organizations that are working to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. In addition, Blue Shield invested $7.2 million in California nonprofits that are advancing mental health, environmental sustainability and the future healthcare workforce.
Expanding access to youth mental health support
BlueSky, Blue Shield's youth mental health initiative, celebrated its 5-year anniversary last year. The initiative invests in best-in-class nonprofit organizations and programs that promote emotional well-being for young people across California. To date, BlueSky has supported over 20,000 youth and educators through therapy, training and youth advocacy programs.
Driving environmental action
Blue Shield is leading the health plan industry in addressing the intersection of climate and health. Committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Blue Shield has also expanded efforts to address emissions across its supply chain. At the same time, Blue Shield continued to invest in nonprofit groups focused on environmental justice, while empowering employees and members to take part in sustainability efforts. In 2024, 71% of eligible members chose paperless communications, saving the equivalent of over 20,000 trees annually.
The Civic 50 survey is administered by True Impact, and the results are analyzed by VeraWorks. The survey instrument consists of quantitative and multiple-choice questions that inform the scoring process. The Civic 50 is the only survey and ranking system that exclusively measures corporate community engagement.
For more on The Civic 50, visit pointsoflight.org/the-civic-50/
Read more about Blue Shield of California's citizenship efforts at citizenship.blueshieldca.com or visit the "Standing for What's Right" section of our 2024 Mission Report.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. The health plan is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Shield Association with nearly 6 million members, over 7,500 employees and more than $25 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $60 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation in the last three years to have an impact on California communities.
For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook.
About Points of Light
Points of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions of people to take action that creates a positive impact through volunteering and civic engagement. Through partnerships with nonprofits, companies and social impact leaders, the organization galvanizes volunteers to meet critical needs for healthier and more resilient communities. As the world's largest organization dedicated to increasing volunteer service, Points of Light engages more than 3.8 million volunteers across 32 countries. For more information, visit www.pointsoflight.org.
CONTACT: Mark Seelig
Blue Shield of California
510-607-2359
[email protected]
SOURCE Blue Shield of California
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