Our panel of judges was highly impressed with the community reach and impact of philanthropic efforts submitted for consideration by all entrants, with one judge acknowledging, “You’re all winners!” Congratulations to this year’s award recipients, and a huge thank you to our judges for their time and deliberations.

• Small Category Winner (1–19 employees): Relm Insurance Ltd.
• As a company not only small in size but also new to the industry, Relm has undoubtedly made it clear from the get-go that its corporate social responsibility efforts are a core component of its operations. The company has a strong relationship with the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies (BFIS), where they have provided financial support for the “BFIS RELM Scholarship Award.” They are also helping the next generation of Bermudians to excel in their field through an affiliated ongoing mentorship programme which garnered enthusiastic bravos from the panel. “Anyone who is investing in the education of Bermuda’s youth gets a high five from me,” exclaimed one judge.

Despite being a new company, Relm’s philanthropy is already broad and varied, with a goal to support our community, environment and people. In the past year they have sponsored St. George’s Cricket Club during Cup Match, participated in the Bermuda Sloop Foundation’s “Walk the Plank” fundraiser, supported We Bleed Bermuda giveaways, participated in an environmental cleanup of Clarence Cove, and much more. As one judge accurately summed up: “It’s a lot of charitable giving. No question about it.”

The panel also acknowledged Relm’s passion and enthusiasm for directing its charitable impacts to the things that “really resonate with Bermuda families.” This was evident through their ongoing operational support for Bermuda Cancer and Health, and by volunteering for Relay for Life. Overall, the judges agreed that the impact of this small-but-mighty team extends far beyond its size.

• Medium Category Winner (20–49 employees): Willis (Bermuda) Limited
• With a dedicated “Give Back” committee, WTW is carving out a clear and focussed agenda when it comes to charitable giving. A select number of employees launched the committee with a goal “to generate purposeful action and engagement with WTW Bermuda and our local community” through frequent initiatives. Its two defined pillars of “action” and “giving” allow the company to organise its philanthropy, which attracted kudos from the panel. As one judge observed: “I love all of the things they are doing—involving their staff with this clear plan every quarter.”

When it comes to “action,” the company encourages its employees to be hands-on and has found immense value in contributing time to volunteering in the community. It has extended support to projects carried out by Bermuda Is Love, such as their community garden and food programme at Hamilton Cathedral, and employees of the company also participated in a blood drive for World Blood Donor Day.

In terms of “giving,” WTW was a sponsor of International Women’s Day 2022 and a silver sponsor for Bermuda Pride. They have also provided financial support to the Family Centre, the Eliza Dolittle Society and the “Each One Reach One” programme by Gina Spence Productions. Additionally, our judges applauded their donation to SCARS and valiant ongoing partnership which will see their staff partake in training courses. Our judges appreciated that the company prides itself on creating long-term relationships with the outreach programmes it has partnered with and makes a concentrated effort to involve its staff in community engagement of all forms.

• Large Category Winner (50+ employees): Athene Life Re Ltd.
• For our judges, Athene has “moved with the times” when it comes to its volunteer philanthropic efforts. Allowing employees to choose their charitable giving around their own values attracted kudos from the judges, as did its four philanthropic pillars, education, human services, the environment, and health and well-being, which guide its charitable efforts. In the past year, the company has donated more than $250,000 to seventeen nonprofits. “They are putting their money where their mouth is and really addressing social justice issues at the core, not just the symptoms,” one judge explained passionately.

Notably, Athene partnered with Bermuda College and donated $1.9 million to build (and project-manage) the Athene Career Development Centre, which gives students access to cutting-edge resources and technology. The company also sponsors up to ten students at the college each year, covering all education-related costs. Moreover, the company sponsored the End to End for the fourth consecutive year, donated food and toiletries to families in need through Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Bermuda and organises annual volunteer days with a local charity.  Employees can also choose to contribute directly to charity partners via a payroll deduction each month which is matched by Athene.

Now that the island is emerging from pandemic-related restrictions, the company is looking forward to increasing its charitable activities even more in the year to come. With its four philanthropic pillars and targeted goals, Athene is making an incredible impact on Bermuda’s community. “They’ve crushed it. They’ve nailed it,” applauded one judge.

• Honourable Mention: Marsh McLennan Bermuda
• With 106 employees, Marsh McLennan Bermuda has volunteered a whopping 542 hours within the community in the past year.  Our judges praised their commitment to giving back and wished to recognise their efforts with an honourable mention.  Through three main areas of focus, the company has steered its charitable efforts to supporting the youth, the environment and food poverty. The panel appreciated that the company was “very clear on their mandate” and certainly “went in big” on all three aspects. In particular, the judges admired the resume and scholarship preparation they facilitated for students at Cedarbridge Academy. In addition, the company also participated in a railway trail cleanup to remove over 700 pounds of trash, assisted the Hamilton SDA Church Feeding Programme and provided financial support to fifteen community organisations. As our judges wholeheartedly agreed, philanthropy is in Marsh McLennan’s DNA.

We recognise the following companies which participated in our first annual ABIC Community Engagement Award.

• Aspen Bermuda Limited
• Naturally, Bermudians have a great deal of respect for our environment and so does Aspen. This year, the company partnered with the Bermuda Zoological Society on two restoration projects that will have long-term positive impacts on Bermuda’s environment. As one judge observed: “I love the fact that if you’re going to set aside money and commit to one thing, you can make a bigger impact. I appreciate that’s what Aspen is doing.”

• Bacardi Limited
• Bacardi has a long history of investing in Bermuda’s community, people and environment. In the pandemic, they pivoted to support the hospitality industry by donating funds to industry workers impacted by COVID, and in the past year have announced an ongoing partnership with Beyond Plastic Bermuda. Internally, the company has a variety of donation schemes and even provides their employees with one paid working day a year which they can dedicate to charitable volunteering.

• Carey Olsen Bermuda Limited
• Even though Carey Olsen was established less than five years ago, it has made a significant impact on Bermuda’s community through volunteering, sponsoring, fundraising and donating to multiple local charities. The company has a dedicated team who research, plan and organise its philanthropic activities, and which always exceeds its benevolent budget. Admirably, the company also offers pro-bono legal work to nonprofits annually.

• KPMG (Bermuda)
• At KPMG, corporate citizenship is at the heart of its operations. An “impact plan” guides philanthropic commitments and goals across four categories: planet, people, prosperity and governance. In particular, the company is committed to the United Nations seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, and globally the company has pledged to invest $1.5 billion into its environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda over the next three years, reinforcing its commitment to supporting a sustainable future in Bermuda and beyond.

• Judges:
• Deborah Jackson, Director of human resources at Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority
• Wayne Smith, Executive Director of ABIC
• Tina Stevenson, Publisher and editor-in-chief at The Bermudian Publishing Company