Excerpts from C-Suite Magazine, 4th Quarter, 2021

By Pierre Morrisseau

I’m not talking about the noisy next-door neighbor or that loud car that always seems to rumble by as soon as you drift off to sleep. I’m referencing the kinds of things that business leaders obsess over; things that push their companies back on their heels, or worse, damage them beyond repair.

There are many potential dangers to an organization’s success and growth. At the macro level, political, economic, environmental, technological, and other such forces demand strategic thinking. Yet, it is most often one of the everyday functions of business that present the most challenges.

Running any size business is complex and risky. A decision maker’s attention is drawn in seemingly hundreds of directions. I remind our employees that we cannot think in terms of the products we offer, but instead, think of how we can help our clients with their short- and long-term priorities.

I was recently consumed with rolling out new technology that would streamline our operations and allow OneGroup to dramatically increase the time spent with our clients. In the midst of this project, a salesperson cold-called me. He worked hard to pitch me on his product, despite the fact that it was not aligned with my current needs or focus. He was unwilling to listen to my needs. This interaction led me to further evaluate how OneGroup approaches the sales process, and how important it is to put the client first.

I spend a lot of time with our sales team, consultants, and service teams, often reminding them that by taking the time to understand and discuss our clients’ issues, we have the opportunity to truly assist them in their success.

With all of this in mind, as we enter a second year of unprecedented challenges and risk, I believe that it is more important than ever to listen to those around us – loved ones, employees, friends, clients – to understand what their anxieties are. We should not assume. We should be quick to listen and offer our help. Not only does this behavior strengthen our individual, interpersonal relationships, but by establishing a foundation of trust with our clients, the company as a whole succeeds.

A recent Harvard Business Review article stated that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are now torn between “generating sales” and “respecting the threats to life and livelihood…” I firmly believe that by shifting our attention from selling to helping we become more valuable to our customers, simply because we demonstrate care and respect, which in turn leads to increased sales.

As business leaders continue to deal with the many things that keep us up at night, we would be wise to understand that our peers are also struggling on many fronts. We would be wise to offer our help in any way, not just with our specific products and services.

Pierre Morrisseau
Chief Executive Officer
PMorrisseau@OneGroup.com

This content is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing professional, financial, medical or legal advice. You should contact your licensed professional to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.

Please note coverage can not be bound or a claim reported without written acknowledgment from a OneGroup Representative.

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OneGroup acquires Thomas Gregory Associates

October 5, 2021

As OneGroup continues to grow, we are delighted to welcome New England-based Thomas Gregory Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc. (TGA) to our table. TGA specializes in all lines of property and casualty coverage, with an emphasis on the food and agribusiness industries.

Thomas Gregory Associates represents clients across the United States, many doing business internationally. The firm specializes in all lines of property and casualty coverage including hard to place professional liability and product recall, particularly firms requiring controlled atmospheres and controlled environments.

“We specialize in providing risk management and insurance solutions which reduces the ‘Total Cost of Risk’ for companies in the agricultural, food processing, life science, and transportation industries,” said Gregory. “Our expertise is in writing and negotiating manuscript coverage forms with carriers to cover the unique aspects of the risks for each client.”

OneGroup currently operates from eighteen offices located in New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Florida and now Massachusetts.

“We are thrilled to be part of OneGroup which brings us the assets and scale to better serve our clients’ needs,” said Gregory.

Learn more about TGA here.

Pierre Morrisseau
Chief Executive Officer
PMorrisseau@OneGroup.com

This content is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing professional, financial, medical or legal advice. You should contact your licensed professional to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.

Please note coverage can not be bound or a claim reported without written acknowledgment from a OneGroup Representative.

ONEGROUP EXPERTS ARE READY TO HELP

Fill out the form below and an expert from OneGroup will contact you.

For Immediate assistance call 1-800-268-1830

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How are you contributing to the conservation of our one planet?

“I’m calling to tell you we expect more from you. And by the way, you won’t know how to do it.”

I’m sure that’s not exactly what he said, but over the pounding of my heart, that’s what I heard.

Imagine getting that call from your biggest client.

I was working in environmental health and safety at a mid-sized manufacturer when a Fortune 500 company client had that message for us. We had just become a business critical supplier in their Tier 1 supply chain, and they had just launched a new sustainability initiative. If we wanted to stay a critical supplier, we had to step up our sustainability game.

That situation isn’t all that uncommon, either. Big companies aren’t struggling with environmental responsibility. They’ve already cracked the code. They know about global reporting initiatives and how to include them in their annual reports. Third parties verify their environmental health and their processes are largely up-to-par. It’s the mid-sized and small companies that need to catch up.

The problem? Many of these companies, like the one I was in when that client called, may not know where to start. I was lucky that the person on the other end of that phone call gave me a hint about how to get started.

“Do one thing different tomorrow than you did today,” he said. “Pick something you’re doing now, measure it, set a target and get to work.”

In that moment, building a socially responsible sustainability program seemed doable.

That call put us on a course to achieving high scores for our carbon management programs by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). The CDP is a non-profit, globally recognized reporting platform with an unwavering commitment to reducing companies’ emissions and climate change risk. Imagine being a supplier asked to report to the CDP that works with the world’s largest companies, representing trillions in US assets.

Public Accountability

Thankfully, my client had a little more advice. He asked me to commit to two publically declared goals. We started out with waste and carbon reduction. Then, we embraced the Sustainable Development Goals – the UN had 17 SDGs that I could choose from – and publish that commitment on our website. The best place to start is almost always exactly where you already are.

The First Step

The next day, I set out to learn what the heaviest material we regularly sent to landfills was. Turns out we were throwing away ~198,000 pounds of plastic purge each year.

For anyone not in the plastics manufacturing business, ‘purge’ is the material you send through a machine when you want to change the color of your product. It filters out any leftovers from your last job so you can start the next one with a clean slate.

I interviewed recyclers all over New York State and found a company that would take our used purge right from our production floor. There’d be no sorting necessary, and no extra work for our employees.

Sustainability and Profit

That’s what made this endeavor profitable, too. The only money we spent on these initiatives (and Un-sorted purge recycling was the first of many) was the money we saved in other areas by imple-

menting them. Generally, to secure buy-in from company leadership, your sustainability efforts must not cause your team extra work or be exceedingly costly. Asking our team to sort the purge would have been time consuming and therefore, exceedingly costly.

Another initiative we took on actually made us a profit. I was able to sell other waste for up to 2 cents a pound. I invested that money in a safety initiative, which in turn lowered our workers’ compensation costs. Then we began to allocate the funds to buy renewable energy to power our plant. All of a sudden, we had the most important ingredient in a sustainability program: momentum.

Your Turn

Everybody cares about the planet, but not everyone is willing to do something uncomfortable to start addressing its problems. Most don’t realize their role in those problems, though.

Once you quantify your impact, taking steps to improve it will seem like a responsibility. Get real about your circumstances and ask yourself what that first step might look like. Maybe you’ll find the opportunity in your emissions or waste, or perhaps it’ll be in your suppliers or your employee engagement. You won’t know until you truly look.

Then it’ll be time to take action. Start with small, humble and achievable goals. Make them public. Involve others. You don’t have to know how to do it – you can learn as you go.

If everyone does their part, we can all make a difference.

This content is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing professional, financial, medical or legal advice. You should contact your licensed professional to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.

Please note coverage can not be bound or a claim reported without written acknowledgment from a OneGroup Representative.

ONEGROUP EXPERTS ARE READY TO HELP

Fill out the form below and an expert from OneGroup will contact you.

For Immediate assistance call 1-800-268-1830

Coverage cannot be bound or altered and a claim cannot be reported without confirmation from a representative of OneGroup.

Considering mental, physical, and financial wellbeing during open enrollment

By Johanna Kmetz

Fall is here and that means… open enrollment!

Taking this time to show your employees that their health and financial wellness are important to your organization goes a long way – especially considering the impacts of COVID-19. The pandemic has heightened concerns amongst employees regarding the stability of their healthcare and finances. As such, this year’s open enrollment season is particularly important.

Switching up the perception of open enrollment

How you choose to describe your benefits can influence the way your employees think about open enrollment. While this time may feel rote and obligatory for most people, it can be used as an opportunity to check in on your workers’ financial wellbeing. Don’t dwell exclusively on advice about post-paycheck choices – spend some time talking about how your employees are utilizing their pre-paycheck earnings (i.e. pre-tax gross pay), as well. Let them know that these decisions can lead to immediate, quantifiable savings!

Consider the unknowns

Every new year brings with it an excess of uncertainties. While there are major life events that can be anticipated, like getting married or starting a family, there are many other events that are impossible to premeditate. For example, COVID-19 and other unexpected threats to health can have a major impact on your employees’ finances if they don’t have the right coverage in 2022. Take the time to explain the differences between the types of plans your company offers, whether it be an HDHP, PPO, or HMO.

Encourage utilization of mental health resources

Due to the stresses caused by COVID-19, many companies have realized the importance of highlighting their employees’ mental health. If you already offer wellness resources or Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), encouraging personnel to take advantage of these benefits would be favorable. And if you already have employees who use your EAP, ask them to vouch for it! Endorsements from peers tend to go over well amongst coworkers.

EAPs vary, but most offer mental health resources, financial advice, support for child and elder care, and materials regarding coronavirus-specific issues.

Offering online classes in yoga or meditation and sharing information about relaxation, better sleep schedules, stress reduction, nutrition, etc. are great ways to encourage wellness at your organization. Consider offering benefits like this, whether temporarily or long-term.

Reminding employees about telehealth options that allow for virtual visits can also reduce stress by providing a safe option for care while maintaining strong physical and mental health.

Next steps

When considering all of the above, it becomes clear how vital employee communications are during open enrollment, especially this year. OneGroup is poised and ready to work with you to create and implement meaningful communication and benefits plans in support of your wellness strategy.

Contact us at 800-268-1830 or email OneGroupConsulting@OneGroup.com.

Johanna Kmetz is a senior benefits specialist at OneGroup

This content is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing professional, financial, medical or legal advice. You should contact your licensed professional to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.

Please note coverage can not be bound or a claim reported without written acknowledgment from a OneGroup Representative.

ONEGROUP EXPERTS ARE READY TO HELP

Fill out the form below and an expert from OneGroup will contact you.

For Immediate assistance call 1-800-268-1830

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What would you do if no one wanted to buy your product anymore?

Products come and go. Don’t let supply chain issues make yours a thing of the past.

Most products are designed primarily for the consumer, but also for manufacturability. Your team put a great deal of thought into whether or not your product can be made in a quick and cost-effective way. Now, though, product designers and the leaders that guide them need to plan for more than consumers and the manufacturing process. They need to plan for sustainability.

Sustainable manufacturing includes, but goes beyond, working with recycled materials, properly disposing of waste, and reducing your carbon footprint. It means being as socially responsible as possible and knowing that your suppliers are too.

For a more concrete list of ideals that further your business’ social responsibility, check out the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals have been widely touted as the leading framework for environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.

Failing to check your company’s supply chain thoroughly enough poses a variety of risks to your operations and reputation.

Risks to your operations

Supply chain disruption wreaks havoc on production. That much was made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brands we thought were untouchable couldn’t get their products to store shelves because their supply chains weren’t resilient. Some had most of the materials they needed but were missing one or two critical components. Others couldn’t work through their shipping processes.

Your supply chain needs to be made of businesses that are as resilient as you hope to be. If they’re not resilient – you’re not resilient. Consider evaluating your suppliers beyond conventional metrics like on-time delivery. Evaluate them for their business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR), like human rights, labor relations and climate action. Mishaps in any of those categories could cause major supply chain disruption.

Risks to your reputation

A newly-discovered issue in your supply chain – if it’s severe enough, and discovered by the wrong people – can sink your product. Today’s consumers are more informed than ever and information about your products – right down to how your products are made – is more easily discoverable than you may think.

Around 80% of consumers report researching products before they purchase them, and consumers report researching products before they purchase them and choose one product over another because the company aligns more with their values.

Performing onsite audits or using a recognized CSR assessment tool like EcoVadis can serve as third-party, objective researchers that will investigate your supply chain and ensure that your company isn’t accidentally helping sustain slavery, child labor, irresponsible forestry/mining, etc. You can use their findings to score yourself, quantify your social responsibility and market yourself as truly resilient. Perhaps most importantly, they can help you uncover areas to improve upon. Performing onsite visits to verify the performance of your business critical suppliers is a sound strategy.

Your customers expect you to be resilient

If something disrupted your supply chain or operations, do you know how you would pivot?

In some situations, you may need a rebrand. Others may require you to consider a new market. Make sure your plans for these shifts are included in your business plan and that your senior leadership is aware of what will need to be accomplished and when. Quick, strategic action in turbulent times could make the difference between your company having a prosperous future or no future at all.

Reputational risks to your business can be mitigated by deploying sustainable procurement strategies and by factoring CSR into your supplier approval process and manufacturability design.

This content is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing professional, financial, medical or legal advice. You should contact your licensed professional to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.

Please note coverage can not be bound or a claim reported without written acknowledgment from a OneGroup Representative.

ONEGROUP EXPERTS ARE READY TO HELP

Fill out the form below and an expert from OneGroup will contact you.

For Immediate assistance call 1-800-268-1830

Coverage cannot be bound or altered and a claim cannot be reported without confirmation from a representative of OneGroup.