Winner: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company – MassMutual's Tornado Relief Efforts
When MassMutual’s headquarters’ community was hit by an EF3 tornado, the company’s leadership immediately stepped up to the plate. MassMutual reached out to its employee network, provided key safety and health information and even opened its doors to its employees and their families, offering free meals and showers. To keep the public informed, the communications team sent out a press release saying that all employees were accounted for and announcing a company donation of $100,000 to the local Red Cross chapter. Later, MassMutual coordinated a rebuilding fair to help get community members get back on their feet and help them to navigate the insurance claims process—and announced a donation of $1.6 million.
The company’s efforts were covered extensively by local media, including The Boston Herald. Most important, the actions of the company served to instill a greater sense of pride and loyalty in MassMutual’s employees. —Jon Gelberg
Honorable Mentions:
Cooper City Utilities – You Win: We All Win: Faced with a dwindling supply of safe drinking water, Cooper City used friendly competitions to get communities to reduce water consumption. The utility reduced usage by nearly 10% by 2012.
Davies – Bridging to a Sustainable Future: When Rosemont Copper was looking to dig an open pit copper mine in Pima Country, Ariz., Davies broadcasted the message of the importance of copper to everyday life and the economic benefits it would bring the community. The effort turned a 3-to-1 anti-mine sentiment into 3-to-1 pro-mine.
Hart – Republic Services Transition Campaign: When the City of Toledo decided to privatize waste collection, Hart assuaged the concerns of the local populace with effective use of press conferences, media briefings and presentations at public meetings.
Henry Schein Cares - American Dental Association’s Give Kids a Smile Program: In 2011 Henry Schein Inc. held Give Kids a Smile Day events at a number of NASCAR races, earning over 42 million impressions and helping to raise awareness of oral health issues for at-risk children.