#United States #Oakland #Blue Shield #Points of Light #Civic 50

Blue Shield of California Distinguished with The Civic 50 Award

On June 5, 2025, Blue Shield of California was honored with the prestigious Civic 50 2025 award from Points of Light, a global leader in volunteerism. This accolade highlights the pivotal role that businesses play in promoting community engagement and illustrates how companies integrate social consciousness into their operations. Over the past decade, the Civic 50 award has emerged as a benchmark for corporate citizenship.

Mike Stuart, the interim President and CEO of Blue Shield of California, affirmed the organization's mission, stating, "To fulfill our mission and make California healthier, we must be present in our communities and show ourselves as a positive force. This recognition serves as a testament to our employees' commitment and how we come together to create a positive impact for our members, communities, and the planet. We are extremely proud to be recognized again by The Civic 50 for our strong philanthropic culture and dedication to living our mission."

The Civic 50 recognizes the top community-minded companies in the U.S. with annual revenues of at least $1 billion. Selection for the award is based on an annual survey that assesses the scale, sophistication, and impact of a company’s employee volunteer service, community engagement, and corporate philanthropy.

With over 7,500 employees and 6 million members, Blue Shield of California is one of the state's foremost health plans. As a non-profit health plan, it voluntarily limits its profits to 2% of its revenues and redistributes the difference back to its customers and the communities of California.

Jennifer Sirangelo, President and CEO of Points of Light, remarked, "As companies face changing landscapes, they must ensure they are meeting the needs of their communities, customers, and stakeholders. Companies like Blue Shield of California set an example of how social impact benefits employee wellbeing, strengthens communities, and adds value and meaning to their work. Their efforts serve as a model for those looking to bring the benefits of volunteering and social impact to their workforce, making them well-deserving of this recognition."

This is not the first time Blue Shield has received this honor; it has been recognized in 2021, 2023, and 2024 as well. The 2025 award acknowledges various programs, including:

1. Record Employee Volunteerism and Donations: Virtually all employees (99%) participated in charitable initiatives in 2024, contributing over 68,000 hours to volunteering and donating more than $1.6 million (including company match) to over 2,600 nonprofit organizations. The company facilitated over 375 volunteer events, ranging from home repairs and tree plantings to fundraising for animal therapy programs and diabetes prevention.

2. Investments in Communities: In 2024, the health plan donated $20 million to its Blue Shield of California Foundation, which distributed 99 grants to organizations working to make California the healthiest state and eradicate domestic violence. Additionally, Blue Shield invested $7.2 million in California non-profits that promote mental health, environmental sustainability, and the training of future healthcare workers.

3. Youth Mental Health Support Expansion: The BlueSky initiative for youth mental health celebrated its fifth anniversary last year. This initiative invests in top programs that advocate for the emotional wellbeing of young people across California. To date, BlueSky has supported over 20,000 youth and educators with therapy programs, training, and advocacy.

4. Environmental Action Promotion: Blue Shield leads the health plan industry in tackling climate and health intersections. In line with its commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the company has expanded efforts to reduce emissions throughout its supply chain while continuing investments in non-profits focused on environmental justice. In 2024, 71% of eligible members opted for electronic communications (paperless), saving over 20,000 trees annually.

True Impact administers The Civic 50 survey and VeraWorks analyzes its results. The survey tool consists of quantitative and multiple-choice questions that form the basis of the scoring process. The Civic 50 remains the only survey and ranking system that exclusively measures corporate engagement with the community.

For more information about The Civic 50, visit pointsoflight.org/the-civic-50. To learn more about Blue Shield of California's corporate citizenship initiatives, visit citizenship.blueshieldca.com or check the "Stand for What’s Right" section of their 2024 mission report.

About Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California is dedicated to creating a health system worthy of your family and friends that is also sustainably economical. The non-profit health plan has a non-exempt tax status, is an independent member of the Blue Shield Association, and serves around 6 million members with over $25 billion in annual revenues. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield offers health plans for medical, dental, vision, Medicaid, and Medicare services throughout California. Over the past three years, the company has contributed more than $60 million to the Blue Shield of California Foundation for the benefit of California communities.

For more news about Blue Shield of California, visit their Spanish news center. Follow them on LinkedIn or Facebook.

About Points of Light

Points of Light is a non-partisan, non-profit global organization that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions to take action to create positive change through volunteerism and civic engagement. Through partnerships with non-profits, businesses, and socially-conscious leaders, the organization mobilizes volunteers to meet pressing needs in order to create healthier and more resilient communities. As the world’s leading organization dedicated to enhancing volunteer service, Points of Light mobilizes more than 3.8 million volunteers across 32 countries. For more information, visit www.pointsoflight.org.