Blue Cross & Blue Shield Of Rhode Island Named Winner Of Providence Business News 2009 Business Excellence Award

December 14, 2009

PROVIDENCE– Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is the 2009 recipient of Providence Business News' Business Excellence Award for Community Involvement.

Providence Business News Publisher Roger Bergenheim noted that the judges for the 2009 Business Excellence Awards were very impressed with the level of volunteerism at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.  "Community involvement seems very ingrained in the culture at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and it starts at the top, with the executive management team. Their charitable work and community involvement deserves recognition, and sets a high standard for other organizations," said Bergenheim. 

In 2008 alone, 750 BCBSRI employees and their friends and families donated 3,552 hours of community service and raised $153,602 benefitting 200 agencies.  Also, 100 percent of the company's executive leadership participate in volunteer service and/or serve on boards and commissions.

The Business Excellence Awards are one of New England's longest running and best-known business recognition programs.

"As a local, nonprofit organization, we feel that it is critical to give back to the people that we serve," said James E. Purcell, president and CEO of BCBSRI.  "Blue Cross employees live and work here and are committed to helping improve the health and quality of life for everyone in the state.  Whether it's through our charitable donations or volunteer efforts or how we conduct our business, we aim to truly make a difference."

Some of the beneficiaries of BCBSRI goodwill include McAuley House, Rhode Island Free Clinic, Meeting Street School, Crossroads Rhode Island, Rebuilding Together Providence, United Way of Rhode Island, American Red Cross, and charity walks benefiting the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Alzheimer's Association, March of Dimes, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 

"I cannot say enough about the support and commitment Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has given Crossroads Rhode Island," said Karen Santilli, V.P. of marketing and development at Crossroads.  "Without their volunteers and their partnership, and their philanthropic focus, we would not be able to provide the services we do for our families and individuals to have a better quality of life."

The company participates in many charitable giving and volunteer activities, with its BlueAngel employee volunteer program forming the backbone of the community outreach. 

BCBSRI's three-year average volunteer rate is 41 percent, which far exceeds the average volunteer rate in R.I. of 29 percent.  The BlueAngels gave an average of nearly 4,400 volunteer hours in each of those years.  Because not all volunteer opportunities occur at night and on weekends, BCBSRI also offers eight hours of paid time off per year to all employees wishing to volunteer during a work day.   

Additionally, BCBSRI uses Web-based tools that keep employees informed about volunteer opportunities.  Employees can log their time using the Web tool, thus allowing BCBSRI to track volunteer data.  Employees also can seek information about company-sponsored volunteer events and link to Serve Rhode Island's statewide database of statewide volunteer postings so they can choose volunteer opportunities that suit them and their families.

The Business Excellence Award ceremony took place in November in Providence.

About Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is the state's leading health insurer and covers more than 600,000 members. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.