Expanding efforts to use less paper

In 2010, we continued to find ways to convert to recycled paper or use less paper.

• We used over 340 tons of paper for internal and external print projects that were either recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC ) certified. When we can, we put appropriate logos on the items.
  
• Employees now hand out business cards printed on paper that is FSC certified and contains 20 percent post-consumer waste.
• We converted two newsletters (one agent, one employee) from print to online, saving more than $92,000 in paper costs.
• We introduced electronic medical record keeping in the Health Services office in our Colorado Springs location. Now, new patient records and visits for existing patients are stored online.  We’ll do the same at locations in Austin and Tampa in 2011 and in Cleveland in 2012.
• Approximately 72 percent of employees chose to get 2010 W-2 forms online, versus 26 percent when we introduced the option in 2005. Employees save paper and enjoy access to tax forms two weeks earlier than when they choose to receive W-2s by mail. Federal and state W-4 tax forms are online, too.
• More than 1 million auto policy customers chose to receive documents and bills electronically in 2010. We currently have more than 3.4 million active paperless customers.
• We also eliminated all print marketing materials previously mailed to our paperless customers. We prefer to use email to communicate with our paperless customers.
• We reduced the number of printed agent product guides from 42,000 in 2009 to 27,000 in 2010. Agents in half of our states now use an online product guide. In 2010, we also began to replace our traditional hardcopy handouts with flash drives at our regional agent meetings.

Together, we’re reducing our impact on the environment.