Interview: Humana First Health Insurer to Issue CSR Report Using GRI Guidelines
By Aman Singh, CSRwire
Humana recently released its 2010 and 2011 CSR report. What’s news about that? For one, with this report, the health insurer became the first in its sector to follow GRI guidelines. Second, it lays down the foundation for upcoming efforts in building a sustainable supply chain and consciously partnering with NGOs and nonprofits in furthering well-being for all.
I sat down with Jim Turner, Humana’s Director for Media and Public Relations and Catherine McGlown, Humana’s CSR Lead to discuss the report — and what’s ahead for their teams.
How does Humana define CSR?
Turner: “Humana defines CSR as our dedication to making business decisions that reflect our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our members, our associates, the communities we serve, and our planet. Our CSR platform – Healthy People, Healthy Planet, Healthy Performance – represents that.”
What’s the significance of being the first company to issue a GRI report in the health insurance industry?
McGlown: “We’re excited about it, as you might expect. We won’t be surprised to see other insurers at least seriously consider following suit. As stakeholders demand increasing transparency and accountability, reporting with a recognized framework is one way our industry can continue to build trust with our members, associates, shareholders, regulators and the community at large.
“The publication of Humana’s 2010 & 2011 CSR Report using GRI guidelines (self-declared at a level C) shows that Humana is leading the health insurance industry in the larger trend of reporting out on environmental, social and governance data. CSR reporting is growing, both internationally and nationally. GRI estimates the number of North American reports with a GRI index increased by 35 percent between 2010 and 2011; we are proud to be a part of that growth.”
What have been some of the challenges of CSR reporting in a highly regulated industry?
Turner: “We’re used to being very careful about how we handle people’s health and well-being information. We have to be. This was no different as we compiled information and data for this year’s CSR Report. We wanted to be extra sensitive to how our associates and external stakeholders would view the report and how we frame sometimes-sensitive issues.”
Does Humana have community engagement initiatives only in the markets you do business?
McGlown: “Through our Medicare operations, Humana does business in all 50 U.S. states, so the answer is yes. That said, we certainly consider markets where we do business and where our associates live and work when evaluating community engagement initiatives, but those are not the only qualifying criteria. Humana’s dream is to help people achieve lifelong well-being – regardless of where they live. As Humana is now a national company, we’re working hard to become good corporate citizens in all of the communities where we do business.”
What is the ROI for Humana on producing a comprehensive CSR report? What’s ahead for the health insurance company? And what are some of the key metrics in the report? Continue reading on CSRwire Talkback.
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