Community service is near and dear to our hearts at Gallagher Bassett. We believe our people are more engaged knowing our company prioritizes giving back and making a meaningful impact in the community, which is why we strive to find new opportunities to connect with causes that matter to us year in, year out.
Most importantly, we are proud that so many of our partners are involved in activities that make a difference and speak to the values of their organization. Those shared values are what make our partnerships successful and long lasting.
As we make our way to the end of 2022, it’s a good chance to reflect on the tangible expressions of how we are living our values.
Supporting the people and places that are important to our community
Through our parent company Gallagher, Gallagher Bassett is committed to sustainability and supporting the communities where we live and work. This past October, Bert Dizon, Gallagher Bassett Senior Client Services Manager, and the Carrier Practice team, joined dozens of volunteers to support the beach cleanup efforts of The Surfrider Foundation at Seal Beach in Orange County.
The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network—a cause we are proud to support to do our part in protecting our environment.
In June, our own Amy Cooper, VP – Carrier Practice, was on hand to support Vista Maria at their annual golf outing to raise funds for vulnerable youth. Vista Maria provides a comprehensive continuum of care that includes highly individualized, specialty mental health treatment, community reintegration and aftercare programs for at-risk youths of all ages.
GB is proud to offer continued membership and financial support of organizations like Vista Maria the Hispanic Insurance Risk Managers Association (HIRMA), and the African American Workers Compensation Professionals (AAWCP).
Also in 2022, Gallagher Bassett continued working with Give Kids The World – a cause we have partnered with since 2013—to support the organization in its mission of providing weeklong, cost-free vacations to children with critical illness and their families at the 84-acre Give Kids The World Village in Central Florida. This year, we served on the Villa Beautification team, which involved painting and cleaning the villas where families reside, creating invitation packages and craft decorations, and working in restaurants serving food to families.
Committed to continuous education in the workers’ compensation industry
Another member of the collective team at Gallagher Bassett who is operating with the integrity and social responsibility that underpins the way we do business is Kristen Chavez, who recently received the Comp Laude Work Comp Philanthropy award. We are proud to see Kristen recognized for the way in which she is living the ethos of doing good work to support the community.
Testing our strength to support athletes on the road to the Special Olympics
Earlier this year, we became a Platinum Partner of Special Olympics Illinois and official sponsor of Special Olympics sport and coach programming to help scale participation around the world. And what better way to support this mission than to put our people to the test?
A team of Gallagher Bassett’s finest hit the runway in October to take part in the Chicago O’Hare Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics. Their challenge? Pulling a 180,000-pound United Airlines plane as fast as possible to take the top spot ahead of teams of first responders, military personnel, CrossFit groups, and other Chicagoland organizations.
This year, LETR raised nearly $140,000, which will benefit more than 21,000 athletes who will have the chance to participate in year-round sports training and competitions at no cost to them or their families.
Gallagher Bassett CEO, North America, Mike Hessling, was part of Team GB and said, “Helping others is in our DNA. We’re part of the community, and our participation shows what a great culture we have and how much our team is invested in bringing that culture into the community. I’m incredibly proud of our team and the way they showed up. Although, I think we need a little calisthenics before we do the plane pull next time.”
We wish to thank the dedicated people in our Carrier Practice team and beyond for making an impact this year. We look forward to seeing where our values take us in 2023.
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