Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 44
44
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
Well-being takes on new meaning at Ecclesiastical
W
hen Laura
Smith
transitioned
from caregiver
back to the
workforce, she couldn’t have
anticipated how Ecclesiastical
Insurance Office plc would be
taking care of her.
“We all have people that we have
to care for, and to be cared for in
turn is really amazing,” says the
underwriting lead. “You wouldn’t
expect an employer to fill that
void, but this company steps in
and recognizes that there’s more
to life than just work, and they
will support you, whatever the
endeavour.”
We all have people that
we have to care for, and
to be cared for in turn is
really amazing.
— Laura Smith
Underwriting Lead
Caring is not only a part of the
culture at Ecclesiastical but is
built into its business model. The
specialty insurance company is a
member of the Benefact Group, an
international family of financial
service organizations dedicated to
giving all available profits to good
causes, under the auspices of their
charitable owner, Benefact Trust.
Collectively the Benefact Group
has donated roughly $500 million
worldwide, and is the third-largest
corporate donor over a decade in
the United Kingdom.
Volunteerism is also a key pillar
Employees at Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc have fun during a team-building outing at the Toronto
Islands.
of the culture at Ecclesiastical,
where staff donate their time to a
variety of causes.
“It’s really nice to support our
communities right now,” says
president David Huebel. “You
walk away feeling like you’ve made
a difference.”
Support goes to a wide range of
charitable organizations across
Canada, and employees can
nominate recipients, which was
the case when Smith raised her
hand for the Alzheimer Society of
Canada.
The organization had supported
Smith throughout her father’s
illness, and she wanted to find a
way to say thank you. The gesture
was that much more meaningful
when Smith was able to deliver
the donation herself.
“I felt amazing going there
with a $5,000 cheque,” she says.
“It wasn’t my money, but it made
me feel like it was. It’s really right
down to employees — we have a
lot of influence.”
Prioritizing well-being at
Ecclesiastical stems from
awareness at the higher levels
that employees are people first,
and employee care is a holistic
practice.
Work-life balance is supported
through many initiatives,
including a hybrid work model,
a generous mental health
practitioner allowance and a
personal development subsidy
providing $1,000 toward a course
for any hobby or personal interest
an employee chooses.
“We’re trying to think of the
whole person and everything that
we can do to help put people in a
better place,” explains Huebel.
By focusing on mental health,
Ecclesiastical also acknowledges
that when life gets tough, the
challenges are often unseen.
“Sometimes when people are
struggling, it can be very silent,”
says Huebel. “You can see if someone
injured an arm or a leg, but if
you’re going through something
internally, nobody sees it.”
For Smith, who has taken on
wood turning, donut making
and even glass blowing using her
