issue 010, 2018

Community spotlight

Showing our caring counts spirit

CONTRIBUTORS: JENNIFER MATHIAS (Eden Prairie, MN), LAURA FURMAN (London, UK), REEMA HAMMOUD and DAN BATTANI (Southfield, MI), GILLIAN MORGAN (Dublin, Ireland)

At Sedgwick, we are committed to the communities where our colleagues and clients live and operate. Throughout the year, we engage with charitable organizations that are meaningful to our customers, community and colleagues.

Caring counts at Sedgwick, and we partner with and contribute to organizations that provide sustainable solutions for the social, health and educational needs of our communities.

These efforts would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of our colleagues. As a reflection of our caring counts spirit, we are pleased to spotlight a few stories from offices around the world.

JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Our Eden Prairie, Minnesota office kicked off 2018 by raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Minnesota One Walk. Over 20 colleagues participated in the one-hour walk inside the Mall of America on February 24.

This is the fourth year the office has partnered with JDRF Minnesota Chapter. This is a familiar cause to them, as many Sedgwick colleagues or their family members have been affected by the disease. Team Sedgwick supported the JDRF in a variety of ways – participating on our One Walk team, volunteering at the event and collectively raising nearly $2,000. 

JDRF One Walk has one goal – to create a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D). Each year, JDRF One Walk brings together more than 900,000 people across the country to change the future for everyone living with T1D. The walk at the Mall of America is the largest walk in the country, with about 20,000 people walking each year. By helping to raise money for the JDRF, millions of children, adults and families challenged by T1D every single day will benefit because the money raised will help fund research to find better ways of treating the disease and eventually lead to finding a cure.

Group of people

24-MILE WALK FOR INSURANCE UNITED AGAINST DEMENTIA

Vericlaim UK colleagues and clients supported Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD), a part of the Alzheimer’s Society, by participating in a walk to raise money for dementia research. Vericlaim colleagues and clients united from across the UK to bravely walk 24 miles along the Seven Sisters in East Sussex, England. The Seven Sisters are a series of chalk cliffs overlooking the English Channel.

Vericlaim is proud to raise awareness about our corporate social responsibility and encourage our teams to participate in raising money for charity. This charity is near and dear to those who participated, as they all have personal experience of relatives living with Alzheimer’s. After speaking to some of our clients, the team was formed and cause was chosen.

IUAD is an initiative that was launched last summer through the Alzheimer’s Society, uniting leaders in the insurance industry to increase awareness and funds for dementia research. Vericlaim’s team was led by Neil Baldwin, business development director at Vericlaim UK, who hopes to make this an annual event.

group of people people backpacking

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION

Colleagues in Sedgwick’s Southfield, Michigan office chose the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan as their charity of choice for 2017. Throughout the year, the office hosted numerous fundraisers with the goal of raising money to grant a wish and share joy with a child. Nearly every month of 2017, colleagues in Southfield came together to host a unique fundraiser to support Make-A-Wish Michigan.

Some of their fundraising efforts included: Valentine’s Candy-Grams and bake sale, “Pi” Day event, raffle ticket sales, Make-A-Wish “STAR” sales, managers’ pie-face event, social hour picnic fundraiser and various volunteer activities throughout the community.

Their unique approach was a huge success, as they were able to grant not one but two wishes! They were able to make a little girl’s wish come true with a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL and grant a little boy’s wish with a trip to Legoland California.

Make-A-Wish Michigan grants about one wish per day for a child with a critical illness in Michigan communities. They believe that a wish experience can be a game-changer and that belief guides them in everything they do.

group of people

OPERATION SNOWBALL

OSG Vericlaim colleagues in Ireland partnered with Operation Snowball to help people in need. All eight offices across Ireland participated in this initiative supported by their local activities committees.

They not only collected items to donate to Operation Snowball, but they also volunteered their time by acting as a central drop-off point for additional items. The day was a huge success – many of the colleagues’ families attended and they collected essential items needed to create care packages for those in need and gathered gifts from Santa. The idea to partner with this organization came directly from the recommendations of colleagues and they plan to continue supporting Operation Snowball throughout the year with food, clothing and toy donations.

Operation Snowball is an international alcohol, tobacco and other drug-use prevention program focusing on leadership development to empower youth to lead drug-free lives. The name originates from the idea that having a positive impact on an individual can “snowball” into positive results for an entire community and beyond.

newspaper headline

MORE FROM THIS ISSUE