Assurity Life Insurance
STS RECOGNITION LEVEL: CHAMPION
SELF-REPORTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Management Badge Earned
- Have sustainability policies or decision criteria – The company purchasing policy is to purchase locally
- and as green as possible.
- Sustainability is incorporated in company culture – A Sustainability Task Force has actively been
- improving practices and providing at least quarterly sustainability education since November 2010. Promotes sustainability in partnership with others – Associates serve on community boards such as
- Lincoln Green by Design and have served on special task forces and panels. Has been a member of WasteCap Nebraska and a sponsor of the Sustainability Summit, Green Team Roundtables and other events.
- Tracks company’s environmental and social impacts – Tracks energy and water use and audits twice a year. Tracks employee volunteer hours. Annual report has a sustainability section.
Purchasing Badge Earned
- Uses biodegradable, organic or non-toxic materials or products – All cleaning products used are
- biodegradable. All paper products are “Green seal certifiedTM” (toilet paper, paper towels, tissue, their packaging).
- Uses recycled or reclaimed materials or products – 69% of supplies purchased are composed of recycled materials. Packing materials and boxes are reused from shipments received.
Energy Badge Earned
- Has done a baseline energy use assessment – Compared energy consumption between the new building
- and 3 previous locations and has done a baseline on the new building.
- Uses energy efficient equipment – Appliances, computer equipment, copiers and printers are all Energy
- Star rated or E-PEAT certified computers.
- Conserves energy – Programmable thermostats are installed throughout associate workspaces; lighting is motion sensor activated; computers, copiers and printers have energy saving modes; automated shades are installed throughout the building that allow or block sunlight to leverage the value of natural light; low-energy lamps are used in lighting fixtures.
Transportation Badge Earned
- Has an employee preferred parking program for use of efficient transportation – The office building has bike racks, showers, and locker rooms to support and they promote the Bike to Work program.
- Is located in a pedestrian friendly area – Located next to Union Park Plaza, Lincoln’s trails system hub downtown, and is on a bus route. Employees are encouraged to use trails during lunch, and before and after work. A volunteer group of associates do weekly litter cleanups on the nearby trail.
Waste Badge Earned
- Minimizes waste – Uses a complete business imaging system for all paper that enters the building; supplies are purchased in bulk; pens are refilled with ink to increase longevity; reusable silverware is provided for associate use in the cafeteria; shipping materials are reused.
- Recycles – Building designed with numerous built-in recycling areas throughout; each associate has a combination waste/recycling container at their desk; a single stream recycling system is used; a baseline evaluation of waste stream was done and is monitored annually; electronics are either reused through donations or recycled.
Facilities Badge Earned
- Building is owned.
- LEED certified facility – Building is LEED Gold certified
- Energy efficient building envelope attributes – Is a well-insulated, low solar-gain facility
- Highly efficient mechanical systems – Has chillers which generate ice during non-peak electrical hours
that is used to cool the building during the day (6-8 months of the year).
- Energy efficient lighting -
- Minimizes water use – Has a 180,000 gallon cistern that collects rainwater used to water the green
roofs and all of the landscaping.
- High indoor air quality -
- Has sustainable landscaping – The facility has 3 green roofs totaling 8,000 sq. ft. to reduce heating and
cooling costs and provide storm water benefits. A portion of the ground is planted in pollinator plants to help with the issue of bee colony collapse and pollination in general. Storm water is managed using underground cisterns to store runoff for grounds irrigation; pervious paving surfaces and bio-swales to reduce runoff and allow absorption of rainwater into the subsoil. Drought-tolerant native and naturalized plantings minimize irrigation, reduce the impact of maintenance and create habitat within the city.
Employees Badge Earned
- Provides living wage – Pays a living wage to all employees.
- Provides an employee benefit package – Provides health insurance, retirement contributions, profit
sharing, paid sick leave and vacation and flexible hours.
- Provides employee development opportunities – Every associate has the opportunity to continue
education via online courses, coursed through outside vendors, building and/or safety training. Employees are given time to attend sustainability related events.
- Has a communication model that encourages employee input – There is an open door policy that includes regularly scheduled company and department meetings and one-on-one meetings with supervisors.
Consumer Badge Earned
- Educates customers about sustainability -
Communicates sustainability values through building tours;
messages that encourage recycling are included in policy holder mailings and agent correspondence; and sustainability information has been provided in the annual report.
- Provides opportunities or incentives for customers to act sustainably – Agents can submit applications online. Policy holders have the option to pay online, and online customer service request forms are being
developed.
Community Badge Earned
- Donates to non-profit organizations – Donates to non-profit organizations such as WasteCap Nebraska,
United Way, Food Bank, Lincoln Children’s Museum, Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Lincoln Parks Foundation, Lincoln Symphony, Lux Center for the Arts, and many, many more.
- Encourages employees to volunteer in community – A volunteer committee organizes associates
- interested in volunteering for multiple community organizations and events. Employees are paid when volunteering during work hours for community-sponsored events. An annual volunteer appreciation breakfast is held, and news/photos of volunteer events are posted regularly on the internal website and have been shown in the company’s annual report. Employees’ donations of $20 or more are matched for any 501(c)(3) organization.
- Uses local products and services – Purchase services supplies locally whenever possible. Office supplies are purchased locally, and local vendors are used for building maintenance. Local artists are supported through a quarterly art show in the lobby.