Operating Responsibly

Sustainability

As a company focused on health, we know taking care of people also requires taking care of the planet. In 2023, we took the following steps to be good stewards of the environment: 

Optimizing Our Resources

• Offset 100% of our emissions related to electric power usage with the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates.
• Participated in external disclosure programs including CDP to measure our environmental impacts.

Reducing Waste

• Recycled more than 1 million pounds of paper and nearly 60,000 pounds of electronic waste. 
• Implemented a composting program that diverted nearly 18,700 pounds or organics. 

Promoting Biodiversity

• Expanded our urban beekeeping program to our Abilene offices, with 50,000 European honeybees expected to pollinate close to 50 million flowers, shrubs and trees in a 3-mile radius.

Ethics and Compliance 

External recognition assures our customers, business partners and communities that we are committed to ethics and integrity. That’s why we were proud to be named one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies^® by Ethisphere^® for the eighth straight year.

This designation recognizes a broad range of initiatives focused on culture, compliance practices, governance, environmental and social impacts, leadership and reputation. In addition to this global recognition, our Ethics and Compliance Ambassador Program was named a “best practice” by Health Ethics Trust. 

These honors recognize our ability to sustain a robust compliance program even during times of change.

We maintain a strong ethical culture by leaning on our core values of integrity, respect, commitment, excellence and caring, which form the foundation of our codes of conduct.

Supplier Diversity

A diverse supply chain is critical to our ability to innovate, maximize our operational effectiveness, and ultimately enhance our ability to serve our members. 

Our total spend with diverse suppliers increased from 6.66% in 2022 to 7.23% in 2023, representing disbursements of $176.7 million to diverse-owned businesses.*   

 We’re a member of several nonprofit advocacy organizations that promote the inclusion of their business members, assisting in their growth and connecting them with prospective customers:  

• National Minority Supplier Development Council 

• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council 

• National LGBT Chamber of Commerce 

• National Veteran’s Business Development Council 

• Disability:IN 

 We engage with these organizations in matchmaker events, access their databases to identify potential businesses for inclusion in sourcing opportunities and participate in their conferences.  

* Applies to Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas