San Francisco (June 24, 2019) – Blue Shield of California’s commitment to diversity and equality for all will be on display at the 2019 San Francisco Pride Parade as a Major Sponsor. For the 5th year in a row, the company will be proudly participating in the celebration. The company has also recently launched a corporate advertising campaign, “What We Stand For Sets Us Apart,” to affirm its support for the LGBTQ+ community and other important issues.
“We are proud to recognize and celebrate our LGBTQ+ employees, members and community at large at this year’s S.F. Pride Parade as a Major sponsor,” said Mary O’Hara, Blue Shield’s chief human resources officer and senior vice president of internal communications.
“We’re committed to creating a workplace that encourages people to be their authentic selves,” O’Hara said. “Diversity and inclusion is a key cornerstone of Blue Shield’s great place to work strategy, and it’s prioritized throughout all levels of the company such as our commitment to pay equity across all groups, including gender and ethnicity, which we’ve achieved.”
Blue Shield actively recruits for new talent at LGBTQ+ career events such as the Reaching Out LGBTQ MBA & Business Graduate Conference (ROMBA) and the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Annual Transgender Job and Resources Fair, as examples. In 2019, for the third consecutive year, the company achieved a perfect 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, and has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” for building a company that protects and promotes the rights of LGBTQ+ employees and members.
Blue Shield has taken significant steps to reach out directly to plan members and non-plan members in recent months to showcase its values through its 2019 brand advertising. The Blue, Not Blue campaign highlights caring and inclusive behaviors in the community.
“We recognize our shared humanity, which we proudly reflect in our new ad campaign,” says Jeff Robertson, Blue Shield’s chief marketing officer and senior vice president. “Being able to live our values through work is what we stand for, and what makes us proud to be Blue.”
Blue Shield is committed to those seeking affirming care within the LGBTQ+ community, and it covers a range of preventive services and screenings for our members that identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Importantly, the company does not exclude benefits for those seeking gender reassignment.
The non-profit health plan also recognizes that celebrating diversity extends to how it does business, consciously seeking to develop a diverse supplier base. In 2019, Blue Shield of California was recognized by the Golden Gate Business Association as one of the Top 10 Insurers for championing the inclusion of LGBT Business Enterprises as part of the California Insurance Commissioner’s Diversity Initiative.
The S.F Pride Parade is one of several Pride related activities Blue Shield will support in 2019 in California. Throughout the years, Blue Shield has also actively engaged and supported numerous LGBTQ+ organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, the S.F. AIDS Foundation, Out & Equal, PFLAG, Gender Spectrum and others.
The company caps its net income at two percent. It makes annual contributions to Blue Shield of California Foundation, totaling $100 million over the past three years.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a health care system worthy of our family and friends that is sustainably affordable. We are a not for profit, independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with care for four million members, 6,800 employees and more than $20 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002 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, Twitter, or Facebook.