Environmental,
Social & Governance
Somerset Bridge Group is aware that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations are essential to the success of our company in the long term, and we are dedicated to incorporating ESG factors across all areas of our business, where possible.
Our ESG initiative is driven and supported by our ESG framework, which covers four impact areas. By structuring our approach around these pillars, we hope to promote ESG achievements and sustainability advancements throughout our business.
Our ESG Framework
Our Business
Our group collectively strives to build a sustainable and innovative insurance provision focused on underwriting, broking and claims handling.
Our Operations
We safeguard our employees and customers’ personal data and business by actively managing ESG risks and integrating compliance, transparency, data protection, and resiliency into all aspects of our operations.
Our People
As an organisation, we are committed to supporting the professional and personal development of our employees to foster long-term, sustainable growth.
Our Communities
We encourage staff members to volunteer for charities or community projects in order to have a positive impact on our communities and raising money for nearby non-profits and charities in order to support them.
Our ESG Priorities
In order to emphasise the significance of sustainability to our business operations, we integrated sustainability driven thinking into key areas of our organisation.
These are our Environmental, Social, and Governance priorities, which we are dedicated to enhancing in all areas. We will keep assessing these priorities in light of new developments and input from stakeholders.
Environmental
- Locally sourced food providers
- Removed plastic cups in our offices
- For every Vavista car insurance policy sold or renewed, we plant a tree
- Vavista offsets its employees’ carbon footprint
- Solar panels in our Bristol office
- 100% renewable energy used in our Newcastle office
Social
- Community days for all employees
- Charity work (national and regional)
- Sponsorship of local charities/fundraising
- Matching of personal charity fundraising
- Toilet twinning
- Period Poverty
- Sponsorship of Bristol City Football Club
- Annual risk assessments carried out
- Trained fire marshals, first aiders and mental health first aiders
- Mandatory internal training programmes
- Wellbeing Events
- Financial Health Training/Webinars
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Health and Wellbeing App (WRKIT)
- Dedicated DEI working group
- Annual awareness days (Pride/Mental Health/Black History) including external speakers
- Mandatory Unconscious Bias training
- Use of Alva Labs platform to remove unconscious bias within recruitment
- Inclusive benefits i.e. optional religious bank holidays, enhanced parental leave / time off for IVF appointments
- DEI interview training for line managers
- Hybrid Working
Governance
- Values interwoven into employee appraisals
- Code of conduct signed by all employees
- Mandatory training for all employees on business practices from treating customers fairly to vulnerable customers
- Risk assessments/ Audits of our business
- Underwriting Workflows
- Investment Strategies
- Board Structure
- Remuneration Policies
- Compliance Training
- In-House Solicitor
- In–House DPO
- Data Champion Team
- IT Cyber Training modules
- Data Awareness/Information
- Security communications calendar
- Risk committee
- Exec Risk committee
- Emerging Risk committee
