Headquartered in Maryland Heights, Mo., Safety National is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance provider that has offered long-term solutions to valued clients for more than 80 years. This month, the Clean Air Partnership is pleased to shine a spotlight on Safety National’s Sustainability Committee – one of only 22 organizations in the bi-state area to earn the Champion Level Award of Achievement during the 2022 St. Louis Green Business Challenge – for its commitment to implementing environmental protection and conservation practices.
“Safety National’s ESG strategy and sustainability efforts are guided by our core values and our vision to be First With Community,” said Angela Schaefer, Chief Human Resources Officer & ESG Committee Chair. “Being a good community partner starts with being a good employer. Employees are key partners on our journey to reduce environmental impacts. Safety National’s employee-led Sustainability Committee provides consistent, valuable awareness-building education, as well as opportunities to give back to the community. Corporate Operations strive to reduce environmental impacts and support employee efforts. The more we work together, the more sustainable impacts we can make.”
Among the many accomplishments that helped Safety National earn recognition in the Challenge was the installation of new solar panels on the main campus building that generated more than 80,700 kWh over the last 12 months, equivalent to a cost savings of $7,440.24. The energy produced by the solar array on the company’s secondary building is equivalent to planting 1.2 trees per day, which is a huge win for air quality! Additionally, Safety National encouraged its employees to participate in various recycling initiatives throughout the year, recycling a total of more than 11,000 lbs. of electronics, 183 lbs. of holiday lights, and collecting approximately 500 plastic bags per month that were repurposed and woven into sleeping mats for the local homeless population. Clean water filling stations were also introduced to prevent some 32,700+ plastic bottles a year from winding up at landfills as toxic waste.
Moreover, the company’s Sustainability Committee provided consistent opportunities for education and engagement, including hosting a biodiversity talk by Missouri Botanical Garden’s Jean Ponzi and a hands-on transformation contest for employees to “up-cycle” items that otherwise would’ve gone to the landfill to create beautiful decorations. Last but not least, hybrid options were increased last summer to provide flexibility for employees, allowing them to work from home two days each week to reduce vehicle miles, harmful automobile emissions, and energy and water usage on campus.
For more information on Safety National and how your company can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to their weekly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, explore our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @gatewaycleanair.
