This text is part of the special section Philanthropy
Health care coverage is the core business of the Canadian company Green Shield. But social purpose is also in the DNA of the organization of more than 1,000 employees, whose goal is to help all Canadians adopt a healthier lifestyle.
It is also a social motivation that led pharmacist Bill Wilkinson to create the company 65 years ago. “A lady came into her pharmacy in Windsor, Ontario, with two prescriptions: one for her daughter and one for herself. She needed penicillin, which was very expensive at the time,” says Steve Laberge, vice-president of Quebec and strategic solutions at Green Shield. Not having the means to pay for the two drugs, the client left only with that of her daughter. “Troubled by this situation, our founder said to himself that he had to find a way to help his local community,” he continues. So he had the idea of creating a fund. »
To increase his ability to meet the needs, Bill Wilkinson then launched a campaign with local employers and unions in the auto industry, a flourishing sector in Windsor at the time. He then created Green Shield to administer the funds on their behalf and to promote access to health for the local community. With 4.6 million customers today, Green Shield has become one of the largest providers of health and dental benefits in the country.
A non-profit
“Our main mission is to develop solutions to help people live as healthily as possible,” summarizes Steve Laberge. The company is structured as a social enterprise, which allows it to prioritize customer service, its employees and its social impact over shareholder profits. She has also seen this impact rewarded with two certifications in 2021. “Imagine Canada recognizes companies that give back 1% of their pre-tax profits (or the equivalent) to accomplish a social mission. Our contributions currently stand at 14%, which ranks us among the most generous donors certified Caring Company”, underlines the vice-president of the company, who has also joined the ranks of Buy Social Canada for its social mission. . “We are the largest Canadian company to obtain this certification,” he says.
For Steve Laberge, the commercial and social aspects of Green Shield are equally important, with the financial and service capacity of one feeding the other. “The fruit of our commercial activity allows us to be able to give back, particularly through our partnerships with 12 Canadian community foundations,” he says. Access to oral and mental health care — the need for which has been growing since the pandemic — is a top priority for Green Shield, which has pledged to invest $75 million in communities by 2025. With $7.3 million in community investment in 2021, she positively influenced more than 40,000 lives in the year through her social impact initiatives.
A culture of innovation
Among the values most deeply rooted in Green Shield’s DNA is also the culture of innovation. For its clients, the company designs innovative digital services and platforms to improve rapid access to quality healthcare.
Across Canada, she is involved in initiatives that have the potential to create real change in the health care system. In the area of mental health, for example, one in five Canadians say they have consulted a professional during the pandemic, but the care system is overwhelmed by demand and help remains difficult to obtain for many people. To promote a more integrated, accessible and equitable system, Green Shield is notably supporting the Mental Health Commission of Canada in establishing a national e-mental health accreditation framework.
“We have always been very innovative,” says Steve Laberge. In a model where everything moves very quickly, we want to respond to the market with agility to find the most relevant solutions to improve the health and well-being of all Canadians. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.