Earlier this month, I shared my outrage and sadness over the death of George Floyd and said that it could not be “allowed to simply pass as yet another instance in which intolerance and injustice provoke more words than actions.”

Throughout its long history, Horizon BCBSNJ has certainly worked hard to effect meaningful change and all of us at the Company are proud of the recognitions that leadership has earned. That said, we also know that this moment requires us to look for opportunities to do more and to improve.

To hold ourselves accountable and as one step towards this end, we have developed the following Pledge, reflecting our ongoing commitment to contribute to meaningful change for our employees, our members and the communities we call home.

Our Commitment to Positive and Lasting Change

Throughout our 90-year history, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has stood firmly against racism, discrimination and hate. We are proud of our history, our work and our achievements in Diversity & Inclusion. We know that there is much more work to be done, both in our company and in our communities, and recognize that complex problems only change with enduring commitment. To that end we pledge that:

• We will listen and learn from the communities we serve and our employees through active, ongoing conversations based on mutual respect and an appreciation for the value of diversity.
• We will reflect the diversity of the communities that we serve throughout the organization so that we can achieve our mission to empower our members to achieve their best health.
• We will address health care disparities related to race and the social barriers our members face in accessing care.
• We will collaborate with leaders in our communities across New Jersey who drive social justice and equality.
•  We will promote equity, inclusion, awareness and understanding to confront racism, hate and discrimination.

The words in this Pledge are strong, and we know that to achieve their full meaning it will take our ongoing organizational commitment to action. My commitment, as Horizon’s leader, is that we will do our part in this important work by using the Pledge as our north star. I have asked every one of Horizon’s 5,500 employees to join and play an active role in this effort. As we stand together in support of what is right, we will also act together to achieve real change.