As a European leader in consulting and insurance brokerage, Paris based SIACI SAINT HONORE is dedicated to creating value for clients, employees and stakeholders. Chairman, and recently awarded Business Worldwide ‘Man of the Year’ Pierre Donnersberg, gives us an insight into this inspiring organisation.
With more than 80 years’ sector experience, expertise and development, SIACI SAINT HONORE has successfully established itself as a market leader, building personal relationships with clients by offering tailor made consulting and insurance brokerage services and solutions. The Group operates from major countries across Europe and is also present across Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and China. Chairman, Pierre Donnersberg, tells us more about this ambitious organisation, its philosophy and aims for the future.
It’s clear that as market leaders, SIACI SAINT HONORE respond efficiently to the needs of clients across many industry sectors. Could you give us a breakdown of the services provided?
Management consulting and insurance brokerage can broadly be separated into two categories: protecting and retaining employees, – approximately 60 % of our business and protecting assets and liabilities – 40% . Our areas of expertise within these sectors is comprehensive, dealing with employee wellbeing, health, pension and retirement plans on one hand, as well as at a corporate level providing consultancy and insurance (damages, liability, cyber, fraud….) for a wide range of vertical industrial needs, to which we respond by offering sector-based expertise. As examples we are now, among other sectors, the third largest marine broker in the world, a global leader in the jewels and diamond industry and the leader of brokerage in the French nuclear industry
And are your clients mainly French based multi-national corporates?
Whilst we are proud to admit that we assist and advise many of the top 1000 French companies in the public and private sector, and are working for about all of the CAC 40 companies, the breadth of our reach is global. 20% of our business focuses on expatriates and internationally mobile employees of corporates or international organisations, and we are currently developing our Property & Casualty and Marine solutions across global locations. Our mobility services are operated out of four regional Head Offices: Toronto, Paris, Dubai and Shanghai, and have an ever-expanding presence in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
What are the differentiating factors which set SIACI SAINT HONORE apart from its competitors?
Our values are independence, expertise, innovation, availability. The first value is reinforced by our strong entrepreneurship culture, which translates into the wide autonomy of our local managers, most of whom created their own business and are still shareholders of this company – and of the Group either. Besides, the very wide participation of our teams in the shareholding (close to 1,000 employees out of our 3,000) produces a strong adhesion and feeling of ownership all across our crew.
Our strong ethos of corporate social responsibility is geared towards developing skills and talents, encouraging diversity and equality as a source of enrichment. As a major player in the protection of people and property, we recognise the importance of social and environmental concerns and we continually strive to include this in our decisions and activities.
Can you give examples of how you’ve put this into practice?
Naturally, as a responsible employer, we are committed to ensuring compliance in relation to employment rights and responsibilities. However, we have a strong employee integration and support programme through apprenticeship schemes, ongoing training and an inclusive policy towards employing seniors.
We support a variety of community-led health and wellbeing schemes. One internal based initiative scheme sees us donate a sum to complement an employee’s voluntary charitable contribution. Donations have thus far been invested in business creation, employment and access to healthcare programmes.
On a wider scale, we support the international humanitarian causes of the Red Cross, help to reduce poverty among farmers through healthcare facilities, and participate in global initiatives in regions where we have head office representation.
You’ve also decided to promote cultural diversity through a programme of French culture. Can you tell us more about this?
It seems fit that as an organisation tasked with the everyday risk management of cultural events, we should play our part in promoting French culture. We support the French Centre for National Monuments through the refurbishment project of the Hotel de la Marine, Place de Concorde, Paris, which is due to complete during Spring 2020. We are also delighted to be sponsors of the Cannes Film Festival and Cesar film awards. And, naturally, as many of our clients we contributed to the actions started in order to save Notre-Dame pursuant to the fire.
Moving on, what plans do you have for future progression?
Our goal is to become the independent French leader in corporate risk management and insurance brokerage across France, Europe as a whole, Asia, Middle East and Africa.
In order to do this we constantly adapt to the complex range of risks faced by our clients, whether they be terrorist related, political, cyberattacks or environmental. Our industry specialists must fully understand our clients’ commercial, contractual and legal responsibilities, have comprehensive technical knowledge and the relevant expertise to provide them with appropriate up-to-date advice.
Additionally, we aim to develop positions of excellence in our key regions, focusing on China and Singapore, Middle East and French and English-speaking Africa, providing our international and local clients with client-friendly, highly localised insurance solutions supported by our country-based teams of entrepreneurs.
How does SIACI SAINT HONORE intend to accelerate its innovation programmes?
Innovation is deeply embedded in our culture.
We gather a wide range of insurance and innovation specialists on many projects and involve our clients and other stakeholders in innovation sessions held in our Innovation Lab at our headquarters.
Our new research institute, S2H Institute, brings together academics, partner companies and our own industry specialists with the aim of looking into the risks associated with an ageing population and its implication on the corporate world. As a global player in employee benefits, consulting and administration, we are confident that SIACI SAINT HONORE will remain at the forefront of our sector, seamlessly responding to expectations and helping our clients with their day to day decision making processes.
Further information on SIACI SAINT HONORE, its services and industry news can be found at www.s2hgroup.com
