Co-operators: Catalyzing the Insurance Industry for Sustainability

Tom Ewart had been recently promoted to associate vice-president (VP) of Sustainability at The Co-operators Group Limited (Co-operators), a Canadian financial services company focused on insurance. Ewart and his team were in the process of publishing the company’s annual integrated report to inform stakeholders of the firm’s current environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives and commitments. With sustainability trends rapidly growing, Ewart wanted to ensure Co-operators was well positioned to address upcoming changes and to continue to be a catalyst for a sustainable society. Ewart was excited about the growing industry, but he also wanted to find ways to improve Co-operators’ current sustainability strategies and ensure the company was on track towards its ESG commitments. One option Ewart was considering was to hire more individuals to join his Sustainability team, which currently had 3.5 employees. Given the lack of clear career structure in the industry, he was unsure of the types of candidates he should be looking for and what sort of experience they should have. Ewart reflected on his own career journey and the path he had taken to reach his current role as a sustainability executive. He also thought about the experiences and traits of his employees and how they brought value to the team.

This case would be appropriate in undergraduate- and graduate-level courses on sustainability, career development, or leadership. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:<ul><li>Understand the different risks and benefits associated with careers in sustainability.</li><li>Explain the impact of intrinsic motivation on career satisfaction and success in the industry.</li><li>Understand concepts of protean and boundaryless career attitudes and how they apply to career professionals in sustainability.</li><li>Explain how the model of interest development can be applied to the career development of a sustainability professional.</li><li>Outline important traits and factors that lead to a successful career in sustainability.</li><li>Understand practical steps on how to identify potential employers with a strong ESG focus.</li></ul>

• sustainability
• entrepreneurship
• career development
• motivation
• growth
• career attitudes
• ESG
• leadership