Zurich Resilience Solutions expands Sustainability Services team

Jessica Balsam joins ZRS as Head of Climate Solutions; Elise White appointed Director of Workforce Resilience Services.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Zurich Resilience Solutions (ZRS), a global provider of Risk Engineering, mitigation and resilience-building services, has expanded its Sustainability Services team in the United States, adding expertise and capacity to help customers identify and manage environmental, social and governance (ESG)-related risks.

• Jessica Balsam joined Zurich in the newly created role of Head of Climate Solutions on Aug. 7, 2023.
• Elise White was recently appointed Director of Workforce Resilience Services on July 1, 2023.

We've expanded our team with climate adaptation, climate mitigation and workforce resilience specialists.

Both Balsam and White report to Lisa Leftwich, Head of Sustainability Services for ZRS.

"Companies are dealing with a dynamic risk environment – just look at how climate change and talent have become material business risks," said Leftwich. "To help customers address these emerging risks, we've expanded our team with climate adaptation, climate mitigation and workforce resilience specialists to support customers in their ESG-related resilience journeys, at their own pace."

ZRS Sustainability Services team expansion

Balsam most recently worked with Ernst & Young Climate Change and Sustainability Services, where she led global engagements focused on sustainability, social impact and decarbonization. She also worked at APL Logistics as Head of Global Sustainability + ESG, at Nike as Global Sustainability Director and at the U.S. Department of Energy as a Program and Policy Adviser. Balsam earned an MBA from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, and a BA in sociology and gender studies from Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon.

White's new Director of Workforce Resilience Services role expands on ZRS' DEI consulting service with additional social-related services that help companies attract and retain talent. She previously served as Project Leader of Claims Strategy and Innovation for Zurich North America and has extensive experience in Workers' Compensation and strengthening claims outcomes. White holds Inclusion Score's certification in the ISO Diversity and Inclusion standard, which provides a framework for evaluating DEI maturity and action planning. In addition, White is a board member of Girls on the Run Atlanta and the Diversity and Talent Alliance, which develops career pipelines for diverse talent. White holds a BA in criminal justice from Temple University and an MBA in organizational leadership from Wilmington University.

ZRS Sustainability Services helps manage ESG concerns

ZRS' Sustainability Services addresses business risks related to ESG concerns. In addition to traditional Risk Engineering services such as property and safety assessments, ZRS services include climate resilience (both adaptation and mitigation), workforce resilience (including DEI), business continuity, supply chain and cyber risk services.

"Building on Zurich's strong Risk Engineering and technical expertise, we created ZRS to help companies become more resilient amid a dynamic risk environment," said Tom Fioretti, Head of North America Zurich Resilience Solutions. "Zurich has been delivering Risk Engineering for 75 years, and we will continue to invest in innovative risk services that also reflect Zurich's sustainability commitment."

The ZRS Sustainability Services team also provides support to companies in the U.S. seeking to utilize ZRS' global Climate Resilience service, which helps customers  understand climate change-related impacts to their facilities over future time horizons and take action now to build resilience.

About Zurich North America

Zurich North America is one of the largest providers of insurance solutions and services to businesses and individuals. Our customers represent industries ranging from agriculture to technology. Zurich North America is part of Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich), a leading multi-line insurer serving people and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. Founded 150 years ago, Zurich is transforming insurance. In addition to providing insurance protection, Zurich is increasingly offering prevention services such as those that promote wellbeing and enhance climate resilience.

Reflecting its purpose to "create a brighter future together," Zurich aspires to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world. It is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050 and has the highest-possible ESG rating from MSCI. In 2020, Zurich launched the Zurich Forest project to support reforestation and biodiversity restoration in Brazil.

The Group has about 60,000 employees and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information is available at http://www.zurich.com/ and http://www.zurichna.com/.

In the United States, Zurich Resilience Solutions' services are provided by The Zurich Services Corporation and SpearTip, LLC. For more information about the products and services Zurich Resilience Solutions offers in the United States, go to www.zurichna.com/risk.

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SOURCE Zurich North America