Kia ora koutou katoa. At FMG we’re guided by our values. Do what’s right, Proud of who we are, We’re in it together, and Make it happen. Values that our employees live by every day. It was very humbling to see those values play a significant role in FMG recently being announced as ANZIIF’s (Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance) General Insurance Company of the Year and its recent award ceremony
Fitting recognition for the effort and contribution all of our employees across the Mutual have made in living our values during what has been a challenging year for many of our Members and clients. Our Value of ‘Doing what’s right’ was also the motivation behind our ambitious goal set in 2021 to become a B Corp certified business and I’m extremely proud and excited to announce that we’ve now achieved accreditation.
FMG is officially the first B Corp General Insurer in Aotearoa/New Zealand, meaning we’ve been recognised for having some of the highest standards of verified, social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability in the world. We sought to become a B Corp, utilising a standard that’s not our own, to help provide independent assurance that we’re continuing to do what’s right by you as our Members and clients in delivering to our Purpose of a better deal for rural New Zealand/Aotearoa and our Vision of helping to build strong and prosperous rural communities.
Achieving those outcomes starts with us. It means attracting and retaining the best people so we can continue to provide fit-for-purpose advice and insurance solutions, backed by great service. Partnering with like-minded suppliers is also key, so we can all ‘do our bit’ for our people, local communities and the planet.
As a mutual insurer with a legacy and history stretching back 118 years, FMG has always been committed to the wellbeing and prosperity of rural communities, so achieving B Corp certification is a natural extension of this. Regardless of what the future may bring, we remain committed to being a Purpose-led and Values-based insurer focused on doing well by doing good for our Members, clients and all of our stakeholders.
I appreciate that many of you may not know that much about B Corp, so you can read more about it in this edition of FMG Post.
I’m also very proud of the fact that FMG is now well in excess of 80% of claims settled for Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods. This is a remarkable achievement and is testament to the collective team effort across all areas of the Mutual in support of our clients devastated by these tragic events. We have learnt a great deal from this experience and we will be taking those learnings forward to ensure we continue to improve our response to future events.
I appreciate it’s been a tough year for the country and in particular the agricultural sector. These are challenging times with weather events, rising costs and interest rate increases having created a difficult business environment for many. The developing El Niño weather pattern is also creating a level of nervousness about what may lie ahead for the summer. As an advice-led insurer, you can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to help our rural communities be prepared for the risks and opportunities these circumstances may present.
This is also the first edition of FMG Post featuring Sarah von Dadelszen as our new Board Chair and with that I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sarah on her appointment. The Executive Leadership Team and I look forward to continuing to work with Sarah in her new capacity and the Board more broadly as we continue to evolve, grow and build a bigger and better Mutual together.
Thank you for your continuing support.
Kind regards / Ngā mihi,
ADAM HEATH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE FMG
