Inspiring Girls to Be Strong, Smart and Bold

In keeping with our commitment to be the leading advocate for women in the insurance industry, Travelers supports Girls Inc., a nonprofit that inspires girls ages 5 to 18 to be “strong, smart and bold!” In 2017, the Travelers St. Louis office established a partnership with the local Girls Inc. affiliate and hosted the first Girls’ Leadership Summit. Our Long Island, New York, office replicated the program the following year with its local Girls Inc. affiliate. 

Based on this model, Travelers hosted four leadership summits for girls in early 2020 – in Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia and Minnesota – in partnership with Girls Inc. and the YWCA. Students and parents heard from engaging presenters on topics related to personal branding, interview skills and college affordability.

Every girl in attendance was given the opportunity to have a 30-minute “advising session” with uAspire, a nonprofit whose mission is to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to and through college. There were 180 girls and 70 parents in attendance at the events, and 70 Travelers employees volunteered their time to plan and execute the summits.

In 2021, our partnership turned virtual, with 75 Travelers employees volunteering nearly 250 hours with Girls Inc. of St. Louis. Employees appeared in a career panel and hosted breakout sessions to help equip Girls Inc. participants with real-life knowledge, introducing them to insurance and, specifically, Travelers. Employees shared their life experiences owning cars and buying insurance, budgeting, banking and preparing for college.

Community Benefits

• The programs provided learning and networking opportunities to young women navigating college and career paths.
• The free advising service offered at the 2020 summits provided counseling about financial considerations for college.

Travelers Benefits

• This program is aligned with our commitment to lead the industry in advocating for women in insurance, including through SHE Travels® and our various initiatives to help broaden and enhance the talent pipeline for the insurance industry. 
• The program introduced students to Travelers as potential future employees or customers.
• Employee volunteers had an opportunity to build their own capabilities, such as project management and presentation skills, which helps us develop our talent base.
• Travelers volunteers expressed satisfaction with the company making an investment in young women, which deepens engagement and helps with retention.