Mission Report 2024
Standing for what’s right
We continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Californians and take action to build a healthier world, with more opportunities for all. Over the last three years, we contributed $60 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation, whose mission is to build lasting solutions to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence.
Advocating for meaningful change
Our health reform advocacy efforts are ensuring that all Californians have access to high-quality health care that’s sustainably affordable. We’ve continued to prioritize affordability, access to care and digital innovation in health care. Our commitment to driving change and improving health outcomes remains strong, focused on building a sustainable and patient-centric healthcare system for California’s diverse populations.
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Blue Shield of California: Industry Initiatives Blog
- Our advocacy for affordability gained momentum as we partnered with the Office of Health Care Affordability and various stakeholders to establish a statewide goal of limiting healthcare spending increases to 3% by 2029.
- Blue Shield was instrumental in establishing new primary care and alternative payment models that foster value-based care, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care that is sustainably affordable.
- We led the push for pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, helping to set a new standard for transparency and accountability.
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Our advocacy extended to behavioral health and the expansion of school-based mental health services — vital to addressing the mental health crisis and ensuring resources.
Watch our BlueSky video, featuring three students who attend schools supported by our youth mental health initiative.
Expanding access to youth mental health support
As we celebrate five years of our BlueSky youth mental health initiative, we’ve served more than 20,000 youth and educators through therapy, training and advocacy programs. BlueSky focuses on addressing mental health in underserved communities by elevating youth voices — essential for breaking down stigma, fostering open conversations and ensuring young people feel heard in their mental health journeys.
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Celebrating Five Years of BlueSky
- BlueSky partnered with DoSomething.org’s EMBER Collective, which brought together 19 young changemakers to ignite ideas during a six-month mentorship program, guided by the principles of Empathy, Mindfulness, and Building Emotional Resilience (EMBER).
- Our collaboration with Mental Health California continues to uplift youth through mental health support and mentorship. With support from BlueSky, their video and podcast series Into the Classroom is now available to both teachers and students.
- BlueSky continued to support the Directing Change student film contest, empowering over 3,800 young creators from 209 California schools to create short films addressing mental health and suicide prevention.
Employees giving back like never before
Blue Shield’s culture of giving is stronger than ever. In 2024, a record 99% of our workforce participated in giving or volunteering, contributing more than $1.6 million (including company match) to nonprofit organizations and volunteering more than 68,000 hours.
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A Culture of Philanthropy: 99% of Blue Shield of California’s Employees Gave Back in 2024
We are honored to be recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in America by Civic 50.
See how Blue Shield stands for what’s right, and how we are leading the way in sharing that climate care is health care.
Driving environmental action
Leading by example in the healthcare industry, Blue Shield has committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We're addressing emissions and waste, as well as assessing environmental risks and increasing community resilience during disasters.
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Climate Care Is Health Care
Sustainability Dashboard
Address carbon footprint
- Committed to set near-term science-based targets in line with climate science via Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
- Tracked and reported sustainability progress for 70% of our highest emitting suppliers in 2024, an essential first step for decarbonization.
- Increased to 71% of eligible members opting in for paperless communications, up from 61% in 2023 — saving the equivalent of 170 million sheets of paper and over 20,000 trees annually.
- Improved efficiency, with the majority of our offices Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design (LEED) or energy-star certified, and many with solar, water saving systems, light sensors, electric vehicle charging and bike parking.
Drive more sustainable models of care and community impact
- Expanded Virtual Blue, a health benefits plan that offers members high-quality, integrated virtual care, with in-person care when needed or preferred; model supports continuity of care during disasters like wildfires or floods and reduces negative environmental impacts.
- Provided information on environmental risks to health, like extreme heat, to vulnerable members and communities via our Community Resource Centers.
- Invested in nonprofit organizations that address health impacts of the environment on vulnerable communities.