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Corporate sustainability

At Protective, we are driven by our responsibility to protect people, their lives and livelihoods. It's an unwavering commitment and it's why we do what we do — because we're all protectors. Following the release of our inaugural sustainability report, we remain as committed as ever to helping more people achieve the sense of protection and security they deserve, and we believe it is important to integrate sustainable practices into every part of our organization.
Download 2021 Sustainability Report
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Business

Driven by values

Our values guide us to inspire positive social impact. This includes investing in sustainable solutions, advancing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards and meeting customers where they are with digital tools.

Learn more about our values
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People

Putting people first

At Protective, we prioritize listening to our employees, understanding what is important to them and implementing incremental changes that will positively impact their experience with us. To us, that means treating everyone with respect and implementing intentional changes to our work environment that make a greater impact.

Learn more about working at Protective
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Communities

Community involvement

With a drive to do what's right and the heart to aspire for better, Protective remains dedicated to helping and supporting local causes that impact and uplift the communities we serve. Whether it's Birmingham, the Greater Cincinnati region, St. Louis or beyond, we want these regions to thrive because we're a part of them.

Learn more about our community involvement
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Protecting Good

Protecting Good

The Protecting Good program was launched by Protective in collaboration with the City of Birmingham and the State Department of Insurance. Together, they work to identify ways to give back to Northside Birmingham residents who live near Protective Stadium which is now adjacent to their community. 

Learn more about Protecting Good

Business

Our values guide us to inspire positive social impact.

People

Our enduring commitment to do right by those we serve starts with our people.

Communities

We work passionately to improve the quality of life in our communities.

Protecting Good

Together with our partners, we identify ways to give back.

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A message from our CEO

"Protective is a values-based company. Doing the right thing, building trust, serving people and aspiring for better shape our corporate DNA. As we launch our second Sustainability Report, I continue to be proud of Protective for the actions we are taking not only to advance our sustainability efforts but also to reinforce our values. Being more sustainable is simply the right thing to do."


      — Rich Bielen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Protective

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Business

Protective remains committed to protecting the world we live in. Our values guide us to inspire positive social impact, and we act every day to advance a sustainable business — because that’s what protectors do.
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By the numbers

In 2021, we powered our headquarters with 100% renewable energy, received a $500,000 grant to explore sustainable investments, and completed a $375 million FABN program transaction including four minority-owned investment banking firms.

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Serving our customers
Protective was honored to serve our customers in 2021, paying more than $4.9 billion in claims and providing $1 trillion of insurance protection, helping create protection and financial security for 12.8 million people.
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Driving innovation
We can’t look to building a sustainable business without investing in the future, which is why we have a dedicated team focused on innovation to help Protective stay apprised of major insurance, business and technology trends.
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Prioritizing the science of healthy aging
Protective announced an innovative partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), formally naming healthy aging expert Steven Austad, Ph.D., as the Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research.
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Our commitment as protectors
In 2021, we completed our first materiality assessment, conducting in-depth workshops to identify ten of our most material sustainability issues for focus and prioritization moving forward.
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Sustainable energy
Through a Renewable Energy Credit (REC), in collaboration with Alabama Power Company, we now power our 650,000-square-foot Birmingham headquarters with 100% renewable energy equivalent to 19 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy.
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Advancing innovation and investments
Sustainability-linked investments are emerging as a growing long-term asset class, and with the opportunity from a $500,000 grant from our parent company, Protective can be on the cutting edge.
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Investor and supplier diversity
In 2021, a $375 million transaction included four minority-owned investment banking firms for our Funding Agreement-Backed Notes (FABN) program. We also evaluated spending and created a dedicated resource focused on supplier diversity.
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Managing risks and protecting privacy
In 2021, Protective implemented contingency plans, preventive measures and precautions to mitigate the adverse impacts of potential climate change-related operational risks. We also added a dedicated Privacy Officer.
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Introducing equity
2021 marked the end of our inaugural three-year Diversity and Inclusion Roadmap. But we still had an important step to take: embracing the concept of “equity” and formally adding it to our existing Diversity and Inclusion framework.
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People

When we take care of our people first, they can better care for our customers and our distribution partners. It’s building a sustainable business. It’s how we do the right thing and ensure we’re protecting our customers to the best of our capabilities for the long term.
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By the numbers
According to Protective’s August 2021 Pulse Survey, 91% of Protective team members feel proud to tell people where they work and 84% say they are inspired by what the company stands for. 
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Enhancing engagement
With employees working virtually across the country, in addition to those working at our core sites, we wanted to challenge our leaders to keep their distributed teams engaged.
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Post-pandemic workforce
We had a tremendous opportunity to reimagine who we are, what we want to accomplish and how we get work done. We set out to be an example of an effective distributed workforce by enabling in-office, hybrid and virtual work opportunities.
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Putting our people first
We prioritize listening to team members, understanding what is important to them and implementing incremental changes to positively impact their experience. In 2021, we added a paid, cultural floating holiday and increased our minimum wage.
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Engaging employees in DE&I efforts
In 2021, we launched a Diversity Month Series to celebrate different groups and identities. This program promotes a culture of inclusion and belonging through learning, connecting and growing together. 
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The Birmingham Promise
We continued our work with The Birmingham Promise, which connects Birmingham City School students with employers in high-demand, high-growth career fields for a 16-week apprenticeship.
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Community

Being protectors is who we are, and the Protective Life Foundation and Protective proudly pour support into our communities. Each year, through financial contributions and volunteer hours, we reach and actively serve hundreds of nonprofits, touching thousands of people in need of help, support and encouragement.
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By the numbers
In 2021, Protective paid $4 million in grants, supported 198 nonprofits and saw more than 1,500 employees volunteer in their communities. 
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Broadening our impact
With our three core sites in Birmingham, St. Louis and the greater Cincinnati region, we strive to make a difference in the areas where we work, live and play. In 2021, we continued our efforts in these communities. 
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Providing access through Better Basics
Protective continued to support Better Basics by tutoring children, reading stories, donating books and providing key dollars to special projects. In 2021, Protective employees distributed over 700 books.
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Giving a creative outlet to Glenwood
Via a grant, Protective sponsored an art studio at Glenwood, a nonprofit focused on educating and treating individuals with autism, behavioral health disorders and mental illnesses. The studio also offers lessons in music, dance and more.
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Serving the underserved
In 2021, Protective gave over $1.4 million to programs that promote social equity, including providing a unique opportunity to underserved high school students through the Mark Cuban Foundation Artificial Intelligence Bootcamp.
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Silver Glovez Baseball Camp
We are proud to support The Silver Glovez Baseball Camp and Academy. In 2021, Protective insured the program, which now also partners with ACT Score Booster to assist student-athletes in getting the highest possible test score for college entry.
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Protecting Good

The Protecting Good program was launched by Protective in collaboration with the City of Birmingham and the State Department of Insurance. Together, we work to identify ways to give back to Northside Birmingham residents who live near Protective Stadium which is now adjacent to their community.



Download full report
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Learn more about Protective

Company overview
Protective Headquarters
Protective has been protecting people for more than 110 years. Today, we continue to provide the sense of security everyone deserves through life insurance, asset protection and retirement products.
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Careers
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Achieving our mission starts with you. That's why we care for and support each other like family. The work we do helps millions of people, and you can be a part of it.
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Protective Stadium
Protective Stadium as seen from above with downtown Birmingham skyline visible in background
With Protective Stadium, we are honored to be a part of Birmingham’s future by committing to a project that will put our city on the map and pull our community together.
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