Above photo – Ruth Poulten, CR Manager UK&I at RSA

For this month’s CSR Profile, we’re shining the spotlight on RSA, where we hear from Ruth Poulten – CR Manager UK&I.

Please provide a short outline of your current role and a brief description of any other relevant career experience
Just like many people with roles in Corporate Responsibility (CR), I didn’t set out on my career journey to reach this destination. In fact, after studying for a degree in Ancient History and Civilisation, I left university wondering what I would do next. A postgrad in Broadcast Journalism secured a route into the world of radio and television, and I was very fortunate to begin working as a news and sports reporter in local, regional and national radio. I progressed to Sky News in London, working as a producer and studio reporter on some big global stories, such as the 9/11 Terrorist attacks. However, after years of pre-dawn starts and post-midnight finishes, I decided to enter a world with more sociable hours.

After a short stint at a market research company, my next stop was as a Communications Manager at Business in the Community. It was here that I really cut my teeth in the world of CR and gained a deep understanding of the importance of leveraging collective impact for the benefit of communities. From there it was a move to the public sector as Head of Media at the progressive Gateshead Council, with a focus on Climate Change, Sustainability and driving behaviour change amongst residents and the business community.

A re-location to the Midlands created an opportunity to join rural insurer NFU Mutual in the Financial Services sector as CR Consultant, where I created and delivered the Responsible Business Strategy, managed key partnerships with FareShare, Samaritans and The Prince’s Countryside Fund, and oversaw some major national campaigns around food poverty and mental health. I’m now RSA’s CR Manager UK&I, with a broad remit that covers our global social impact strategy, strategic partnerships, community investment and volunteering programmes, climate change and governance.

Why is CSR important to your organisation?
We’re one of the world’s oldest general insurers and have been protecting individuals, families, small businesses and large organisations for more than 300 years.

In 1706, the original Sun Insurance Company was established by Charles Povey.  He was a visionary entrepreneur living in London at the time of the Great Fire. Having witnessed first-hand the devastation and destruction caused by the fire, Povey became convinced that insurance was essential to protect people’s livelihoods by making things better when the worst happened. His pioneering insurance company grew into the internationally recognized business known today, as RSA. Being socially responsible is in our DNA!

Over the years we’ve insured the hull and machinery for RMS Titanic and Charles Darwin’s home, where he wrote his masterpiece ‘On the Origin of the Species’. We have experts in every field from marine and renewable energy to construction and rail, and we use our skills and influence to make a positive contribution to important social and environmental issues. It also means being responsible in how we invest, as well as choosing who we do business with carefully. In a world where our people, customers and communities are facing new challenges such as climate change – flooding, storms and droughts – we’re committed to meeting their evolving needs, managing our business operations sustainably and creating a positive social impact.

Which topics, themes or initiatives are your organisation currently focused on?
Being a part of RSA means being part of an inclusive, collaborative and diverse community that allows people to be their best. An example of this is being signatories of the Women in Finance Charter, along with others within the financial sector. We’re committed to working together to build a more balanced and fair industry.

Our Social Impact partnerships are important to us as they underpin how we create opportunities and support climate resilience. We’re currently working with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and with Neighbourly, so we can also reach those charities and organisations at a local level.

Our partnership with ELBA has enabled us to support access to employment for talented local graduates. We’re proud to have participated in the ELBA Eagles programme since 2013, recruiting 13 interns during that time. Our links with ELBA have also opened up opportunities to take part in careers fairs and volunteering opportunities, which enables us to showcase our brand and what we stand for, as well as contributing to our local community.

The climate change agenda is also a significant focus for us. Our commitments are ambitious and collaborative. We want to drive meaningful action – to continue to operate sustainably and to support our customers, particularly in sectors like energy and transportation, which are key to building a sustainable future for everyone.

What is the best part of your job?
It’s important that my personal values align with those of my workplace. I feel very privileged to be in a role that I truly love, and to be working for a brand that genuinely cares for its people, communities and lives out its values.

My role cuts across business areas, so I’m surrounded by colleagues all working towards a common and shared goal creating social and environmental impacts – which means I regularly have incredibly interesting conversations which lead to exciting projects….and in turn achieve satisfying outcomes.

I’m also inspired and motivated by our charitable partners and the people they’ve helped, which encourages the team to do more, to push harder and to go further. It’s extremely rewarding to measure and understand the positive impacts that our work and our collaborations have created. It often feels like I have the best job in the business!