Our Commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

U.S. Retirement & Benefits Partners (USRBP) exists to provide high-quality, easy-to-access benefits and retirement programs that enhance the financial security of more than two million clients across the country. Achieving this mission demands that we build and execute our business strategies while keeping Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors at the forefront.

USRBP continues to take steps to strengthen its adherence to the U.N. Global Compact Principles. For example, we have established a corporate-wide anti-corruption and bribery policy. In the environmental area, we have updated our purchasing guidelines to require ENERGY STAR certification of a range of electronic equipment and replaced incandescent lights with LED lights in our National Office, which reduced energy consumption and enhanced recyclability.

Our leaders at every level of the organization are committed to building a diverse, vibrant and productive workforce. We intend to enhance our diversity and inclusion results internally, and to advocate for progress in such areas across our business sector.

USRBP strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment and strives to support equal opportunity for everyone through our company policies and everyday practices. To help ensure a clearer understanding of goals and expectations across the organization, we are launching a pilot program for career planning, evaluation and feedback between associates and supervisors. This commitment to workforce wellbeing manifests in other ways, such as the company-wide employee engagement initiative, Project Starfish, we created in 2020 to support local communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We infuse ESG thinking into the investment universe we offer in our plans, as well. For example, all USRBP 401(k) plan participants who wish to align their investments with their values have the option of selecting a fund that comprises stocks screened for ESG criteria.

Finally, we plan to strengthen our sustainability activities through an ESG Committee, which reports to our chief executive officer. This committee formulates a set of ESG-related key performance indicators (KPIs), reviews performance over time, and seeks to improve sustainability while optimizing our business results and enhancing the experience of our clients, plan participants and employees.

2/5/2021