Nationwide Insurance Wins United Way’s 2008 Spirit of America® Award
America’s Largest Charity Awards Highest Honor to Insurance Company for Exemplary focus on Community Giving, Philanthropy, Volunteerism and overall Corporate Social Responsibility
United Way
of America
701 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2045
tel 703.836.7100
www.unitedway.org
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts: Sally Fabens
703-836-7112, x401
sally.fabens@uwa.unitedway.org
Mike Switzer, Nationwide
614-249-4092
Switzem1@nationwide.com
BALTIMORE (May 15, 2008) – United Way of America today presented Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide Insurance ® with its highest national honor – the United Way Spirit of America® Award – to recognize the company’s outstanding commitments to philanthropy, volunteerism, workplace giving and overall partnership with United Way to strengthen communities across the country. Nationwide CEO Jerry Jurgensen accepted the award at the 2008 United Way Community Leaders Conference Awards Gala in Baltimore, Maryland.
Eli Lilly and Company, General Mills, Inc., Kellogg Company and Kimberly-Clark Corporation were also recognized as 2008 Summit Award winners for their community work.
“Nationwide Insurance exemplifies the United Way Spirit of America Award in every sense, from its volunteer philosophy of transforming lives in critical moments to its strategic philanthropic investments to meet the most pressing needs in communities,” said United Way of America President and CEO Brian A. Gallagher. “They are a valued partner and a model of corporate social responsibility in action.”
Nationwide Insurance, who also won the Spirit of America Award in 2001 for their 2000 campaign, is only the third company in the history of the Spirit of America Awards Program to win a second time. Nationwide’s win is not surprising, considering their strong support of communities and partnership with United Way and many other community partners. In 2007, Nationwide associates, agents and retirees pledged $8.75 million. The Nationwide Foundation matches associate gifts dollar-for-dollar, resulting in a donation of approximately $17 million benefiting 800 local United Ways across the country. Since 2000, the Nationwide Foundation has made grants of more than $190 million to various nonprofits.
Nationwide’s commitment to communities does not end with monetary investments. Over 170 Nationwide executives currently serve on more than 200 nonprofit boards throughout the United States. In addition, thousands of Nationwiders are actively engaged in volunteering in their communities through the On Your Side Volunteer Network®. More than 5,500 Nationwide associates have logged more than 72,000 volunteer hours since the program was created in 2005.
Nationwide’s strategic community support also includes hands-on partnerships with United Way. For example, Nationwide provided United Way of Central Ohio with housing and services grants for 200 homeless men and women. Nationwide also provided United Way of Delaware County (Ohio) with a grant and volunteers to launch their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) initiative to help hardworking people improve their financial stability. Lastly, Nationwide’s call center staff worked hand-in-hand with their local United Way in Gainesville Florida to build a 2-1-1 infrastructure so people can call to give and get help. The company also distributes United Way Born Learning materials and hosts mini-seminars for expectant Nationwiders to provide important childhood development information.
“Nationwide is proud to partner with United Way to strengthen the communities we call home,” said Jerry Jurgensen, CEO of Nationwide. “It is Nationwide’s exceptional associates, agents and retirees who won United Way’s Spirit of America Award today, thanks to their dedication and commitment to helping people in need.”
In addition to the 2008 Spirit of America Award, United Way presented
four other companies with Summit Awards for exceptional performance in:
Corporate Philanthropy, Community Investment, Community Volunteerism
and/or Community Impact.
2008 Summit Award winners:
- Eli Lilly and Company – Corporate Philanthropy, Community Impact and Community Investment Awards for its commitment to improving lives and communities through corporate contributions, employee and retiree volunteerism, community partnerships and grant-making. Lilly strategically partners with United Way to create measurable, sustainable change in communities and supports innovative organizations and programs that focus on vital health and human services, education, and public policy research.
- General Mills, Inc. – Corporate Philanthropy, Community Volunteerism and Community Impact Awards for nourishing lives and communities through an outstanding commitment to employee and retiree volunteerism, grantmaking and generous corporate contributions. General Mills supports innovative organizations and programs that improve their communities through focus areas that include youth nutrition and fitness, education, arts and culture, and social services like family life.
- Kellogg Company – Corporate Philanthropy Award for strategic corporate philanthropy through overall corporate contributions including financial giving, expertise and in-kind gifts. In keeping with Kellogg Company’s more than 100-year heritage of nutrition leadership, its most important corporate giving priority is nutrition and fitness. In addition, Kellogg supports programs that improve opportunities for minorities and women and build stronger communities.
- Kimberly-Clark Corporation – Community Investment Award for engaging and educating employees in support of United Way and local communities. This commitment across the company is evident as Kimberly-Clark is regularly recognized as the largest contributor in most of the communities where it operates.
The Spirit of America Award, now in its 21st year, is United Way’s
highest national honor for a corporation, recognizing the United Way
National Corporate Leadership (NCL) company with the most comprehensive
commitment to improving lives and strengthening communities. The program
is open to any NCL company, leading national and global corporations that
partner with United Way to advance the common good. Applicants are
evaluated by their NCL peers, labor representatives and local United Way
professionals.
For more information on Spirit of America, NCL and how corporations can
get involved in their communities with United Way, visit http://national.unitedway.org/ncl/,
or contact Amanda Ponzar, Communications Director, at amanda.ponzar@uwa.unitedway.org.
About United Way
United Way is a global network, including nearly 1,300 local
organizations in the U.S. that advance the common good, creating
opportunities for a better life for all by focusing on the three key
building blocks of education, income and health. The United Way movement
creates long lasting community change by addressing the underlying causes
of problems that prevent progress in these areas. LIVE UNITED is a call
to action for everyone to become part of the change. For more information
about United Way, please visit: LIVEUNITED.org.
About Nationwide Insurance
Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest
diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world,
with more than $161 billion in assets. Nationwide ranks #108 on the
Fortune 500 list. The company provides a full range of insurance and
financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle insurance, boat
insurance, home insurance, life insurance, farm insurance, commercial
insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds,
pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services.
For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.
About Lilly
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing
portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by
applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from
collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in
Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers – through medicines and
information – for some of the world's most urgent medical needs.
Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.
About General Mills
General Mills is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of
consumer foods products. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, General Mills’
mission is to innovate to make people’s lives healthier, easier, and
richer around the world. The General Mills Foundation, celebrating more
than 50 years of giving, focuses on nourishing communities. In fiscal
2007, General Mills awarded $82 million to communities across the
country, representing more than 5 percent of company pretax profits that
year. Of the total, the General Mills Foundation contributed more than
$20 million in grants in the targeted areas of youth nutrition and
fitness, social services, education, and arts and culture. Visit generalmills.com.
About Kellogg Company
With 2007 sales of nearly $12 billion, Kellogg Company (NYSE:K) is
the world’s leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of
convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal
bars, frozen waffles, and meat alternatives. The company’s brands include
Kellogg’s, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Club, Nutri-Grain, Rice
Krispies, Special K, All-Bran, Mini-Wheats, Morningstar Farms, Famous
Amos, Ready Crust and Kashi. Kellogg products are manufactured in 18
countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world. For
more information, visit the Kellogg Company web site at www.kelloggcompany.com.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable
part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3
billion people –nearly a quarter of the world's population – trust K-C
brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene
and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups,
Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in
more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn
more about the company's 136-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.
