CareFirst Celebrates Inclusion, Equity And Community Service
Region’s largest healthcare company shuts down for first Day of Equity and Action on Oct. 2
Baltimore, Md./Washington, D.C. — More than 5,000 employees of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), the region’s largest healthcare company, participated today in the organization’s first Day of Equity and Action to reinforce its commitment to inclusion, equity, community service and a fuller understanding of all people.
CareFirst closed normal business operations and mobilized its employee base in five different locations throughout the region – Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Cumberland, Md.; Easton, Md.; and Charleston, W.Va. – to participate in team-building activities and training focused on developing behavioral tools that help to cultivate empathy and understanding in the workplace. This is part of CareFirst’s ongoing commitment to supporting a culture and environment of inclusion, equity and belonging across a richly diverse group of people of different ages, races, religions, ethnicities, veteran status, cultures, abilities, economic status, identity and sexual orientation.
Bringing its not-for-profit mission to local communities, the company’s workforce also completed neighborhood improvement and other service projects at more than 20 different sites in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and West Virginia. CareFirst employees assembled 14,000 care packages for babies and 6,300 hygiene kits for individuals experiencing homelessness; packed hundreds of boxes of food for those who can’t afford it; cleaned and organized dozens of community activity centers; and completed several neighborhood improvement, painting and landscaping projects.
“Today was a celebration of our commitment to having an open conversation around the importance of inclusion, equity and a fuller understanding of each other and the many people we serve,” CareFirst President & CEO Brian D. Pieninck said about the Day of Equity and Action. “This is not a one-time event. We’re committed to listening, to constantly learning about ourselves and our communities, to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment at CareFirst, and to acting on the values that guide our organization. Through this focus, which starts on the inside, we hope to extend the positive impact we have on the outside.”
As part of CareFirst’s Day of Equity and Action, Pieninck joined more than 700 CEOs of companies and business organizations worldwide who have signed the CEO Action Pledge for Diversity & Inclusion. Launched in 2017, the CEO Action Pledge is a commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace by taking measurable actions that result in meaningful change. Learn more about the CEO Action Pledge for Diversity & Inclusion.
This was the first time CareFirst had gathered and connected via satellite video all employees from the company’s 22 offices for an all-day business function. Pieninck started the day with a message broadcast to the entire workforce from the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C., where more than 1,300 employees based in the company’s offices in the District and Northern Virginia gathered for the day’s training and community service activities.
CareFirst’s Day of Equity and Action also included a keynote speech from Wes Moore, author of the best-selling book “The Other Wes Moore” who grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Johns Hopkins University. Moore’s presentation was broadcast from the Baltimore Convention Center, where more than 3,300 CareFirst employees gathered, to the other meeting sites.
CareFirst offered employees interactive training designed to increase awareness and help to address the impact of unconscious bias on decision making. Through this and future discussion and development, employees will be supported to better identify strategies and actions that will help to mitigate biases and contribute to an equitable environment for all.
CareFirst employees spent the second half of the day participating in 24 community service activities benefitting those served by organizations such as Our Daily Bread in Baltimore, United Way of the National Capital Area, County United Way of Cumberland, Mountaineer Food Bank of Charleston, Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN), and Delmarva Community Services of Cambridge, Md.
Among the company’s community service activities, CareFirst employees:
- Packed enough hygiene kits (4,500) to be distributed to about half the individuals experiencing homelessness or lacking stable housing in Greater Washington;
- Wrapped nearly 350,000 diapers to be placed in 14,000 baby care packages for low-income families in Baltimore, Cumberland and Charleston; and,
- Assembled more than 600 personal care kits for underserved residents of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“It’s part of our mission as a not-for-profit healthcare company to support organizations and programs that help individuals who lack adequate access to healthcare or can’t meet basic living needs,” Pieninck said. “We work toward that goal every day, but this was a great opportunity for our employees to give back to their communities and help CareFirst make a dramatic impact in the span of just one day.”
A complete list of community service activities performed throughout the day is available upon request.
CareFirst’s inaugural Day of Equity and Action also coincides with Global Diversity Awareness Month, celebrated throughout October to recognize the importance of a diverse workforce.
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
In its 82nd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.2 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2018, CareFirst invested $38 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.