At Thanksgiving: Gratitude and Hope for a Safer World

This is the time of year when we take the opportunity to reflect on what we appreciate most. For some, it’s as simple as a generous meal and time to see family; for others, it’s appreciating the circumstances that have allowed them to accomplish their personal and professional goals this year. And for us at Corvus? We have a lot to be thankful for:

• Our broker partners, for their continued partnership and goodwill — and patience —   throughout a year of market hardening that makes every sale a more difficult one.
• Our policyholders, who have been not only willing but eager to work with us to make their organizations safer. Whether it was patching vulnerabilities or adopting new security tools, we appreciate every effort you’ve made throughout the policy year.
• The communities that we’re a part of. We know that the past year and a half has been destabilizing for many, and we wholeheartedly appreciate the people who make our neighborhoods what they are — whether in the office or at home. 
• Our Corvids, who have continued to work to build Corvus into a company worth crowing about. Thank you for voting for us to be a certified Great Place to Work — we’re honored!

Expressions of gratitude often are few and far between in our busy world, and even then, words can only go so far. That’s why we’ve sought ways throughout the year to return the favor to all who have helped us here at Corvus, through our mission of a Safer World.

Here are a few ways we’ve pursued our mission so far this year.

Making organizations we work with safer...

We believe that insurance is a force for good. It’s not just about transferring risk, but actually taking measurable steps to prevent and reduce the chance of harm. We continue to find new ways to harness data to pinpoint trends and patterns in risk, and share those findings with brokers and policyholders so they can improve risk management efforts. Recent work in this area includes quantifying rates of litigation for tech companies, the impact that certain security measures (or lack thereof) have on the likelihood of a breach, or using innovative sources of data to predict risk for financial institutions.

Our Risk + Response team works directly with our policyholders to help them put these findings into action. The effort is holistic, but ultimately begins as soon as we start quoting with security recommendations along with their Corvus Scan results. Through recent additions to the Policyholder Dashboard, we offer the vCISO, or Virtual Chief Information Security Officer, which features consolidated cybersecurity recommendations from multiple sources. It includes actionable steps for policyholders to take, and additional resources created by the best and brightest cybersecurity experts.

We also rolled out vCISO Services to offer no-cost consultations with our security partners and services at a discounted rate. Whether it be building out Multifactor Authentication implementation or Endpoint Detection Response solutions, we’ve made it easier for policyholders to protect their networks. 

...and other organizations, too

In 2020, we offered free IT security reports to healthcare organizations on the front lines. We saw a great opportunity to expand our offering to those experiencing a heightened vulnerability to ransomware. This year, we extended our free cybersecurity reports to utilities, energy companies, and others immediately involved with our infrastructure. After the Colonial Pipeline shutdown, we saw a necessary step for enabling a safer world that didn’t hinder daily life due to vulnerabilities we could help secure. Sharing our experience and expertise with those who need it most is one of many steps toward mitigating the impact of adverse events.

A Resource for Our Community

Safer World Day

This fall, we had our inaugural Safer World day. We worked with a local organization — in this first instance, Per Scholas, an organization dedicated to tuition-free training to provide professional development — and volunteered to assist those in our community. Corvids conducted mock interviews, participated in info sessions, and held mentoring discussions with current students and alumni from Per Scholas. Over 60 members of the Corvus team provided insights as to what to expect from future job interviews and acted as a resource for any questions surrounding work in a corporate environment. In light of the success of the event, we were able to hire two Per Scholas attendees for roles at Corvus.

Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) 

Initiative for a Competitive Inner City is an organization dedicated to aiding businesses in underserved communities, where poverty is disproportionately high. They foster the success of these organizations, with the ultimate goal of closing the racial wealth gap in the United States. This fall we began working with ICIC and we’re looking forward to hosting a webinar shortly after the new year for ICIC Associated Businesses to highlight how they can mitigate cyber risk, and offer time and resources to businesses in areas that have been historically disadvantaged.

Holiday Giving

November 30th is Giving Tuesday. In that spirit we organized drives in several of our offices across the country collecting coats and canned food to share with charities in our local communities. While our mission often seems more of a “big picture” approach — protecting organizations from ransomware, financial hardship, and using insurance as a vehicle for the greater good — we also know there’s value in helping on the micro-level, where and when we can. 

Helping Our Corvids Go Beyond the Nest 

The work that our team does every day ultimately supports our mission, whether they’re developing new ways to analyze data or providing resources to improve cybersecurity hygiene.  This year, we sought to find ways to unlock Corvids’ creativity and drive to make the world safer in ways that aren’t directly tied to business activities. One outcome was the creation of the Safer World Sabbatical and Safer World Week. 

Safer World Week

Safer World Week gives employees with at least two years’ tenure at Corvus the opportunity to volunteer for a week — including up to a $500 stipend to support their work or a direct donation to the organization of their choice. 

Safer World Sabbatical 

The Safer World Sabbatical allows employees with at least two years’ tenure at Corvus the chance to travel to volunteer in a location of their choosing for up to three weeks, with up to a $5,000 stipend or direct donation to their chosen charity. 

Building a Safer Culture 

All of these activities would be for naught if our own team didn’t feel like we fulfilled our mission “at home.” We frequently survey our team to ensure our approach is on track. One recent survey was a little different, however, and its results meant we earned a Great Place to Work^® certification. While we were thrilled about the designation (and 97% of Corvids calling us a great place to work!), we were even more excited to see how the safer world mission drives our entire team. “Supportive” and “culture” were the most frequently cited terms in the survey answers.

We’re so thankful for the opportunity we’ve had to not only continue to grow our business but to support our safer world mission that started it all.