Pacific Blue Cross

Sarah Hoffman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Accessibility Leadership

Sarah Hoffman is an award-winning strategic leader, whose success is built on a rare combination of significant health, financial and business acumen. She brings an empathetic and communicative approach with a proven track record for building an engaged, equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Sarah is the sixth President and Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Blue Cross.

Born and raised in Queensland, Sarah holds a designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. She is a dual Canadian and Australian citizen, who relocated to Vancouver in 2002 to follow her career ambition. Prior to joining Pacific Blue Cross, Sarah served as an executive for over a decade at Healthcare Benefit Trust as Chief Financial Officer progressing to Chief Executive Officer.

Recognized as CFO of the year by Business in Vancouver, Sarah is a dynamic innovator, passionate about finding opportunities for business transformation. She is committed to and passionate about the delivery of cost-effective, efficient, and tailored solutions that are accessible and meaningful to all stakeholders.

Away from work, Sarah enjoys time with her two young boys and is involved in many aspects of their lives and school community, including volunteering with the Parent Advisory Committee. She was also honoured to sit on the board of the Positive Women’s Network in Vancouver. Sarah loves to explore the world and is passionate about improving health and wellbeing.

Our Organization

Who We Are

Pacific Blue Cross is British Columbia’s only Health Benefits Society and BC’s number one health benefits provider. Based in Burnaby, BC, and in partnership with CUPE 1816, the union representing roughly three-quarters of its local workforce, the not-for- profit organization provides health, dental, life, disability, and travel coverage for 1 in 3 British Columbians through group benefits and individual plans.

With over 80 years of local experience right here in BC, we have developed an unparalleled understanding of the health needs of our communities. Our deep-rooted history and unique connections with the government, provincial health organizations and health care providers enables us to align our mission — improving health and wellbeing for British Columbians. As of May 2023, we also proudly administer health services for all British Columbians on behalf of the BC Ministry of Health through our subsidiary, PBC Solutions. As part of our mission, we also proactively support charitable organizations across the province working to improve health outcomes.

Why We Are Involved

Pacific Blue Cross is committed to promoting and protecting diversity, equity and inclusion of its employees and members. We understand that DEI is a journey not a destination. As BC’s largest health care provider, we realize that we have a unique role to play in actively supporting and addressing health inequities in our province.

Distinction and Awards

• Indigenous Employer of Choice – Indigenous Works (2023),
• BC’s Most Loved Brands – Ipsos and BC Business (2023),
• 5-Star Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Insurance Business Canada (2023),
• #1 Most Trusted Brand by Canadians – Brandspark (2022),
• #1 Most Trusted Brand – Readers Digest (2022),
• #4 in Top 100 BC’s Biggest companies by industry – BC Business (2023),
• Canada’s Greenest Employers (2021, 2022, 2023).

We are also:

• A sponsor of the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council with the Greater Vancouver and Burnaby Boards of Trade.
• A member of the Canadian Centre of Diversity Inclusion.
• A partner with Pride at Work.
• A member of CAN WiN, which helps employers connect with job seekers with disabilities and people with diverse talent.

Accessibility Initiatives

• We have a comprehensive DEI strategy that is linked to our corporate strategy. This includes the launch of a DEI vision, mission, and strategy.
  • Created a DEI committee with multiple employee recourse groups. This includes high-level executive leadership support and a Senior Leadership DEI Counsel who meets quarterly for reporting and updates. This committee is responsible for setting goals, implementing strategies, and monitoring progress towards achieving our DEI objectives.
  • Created an Accessibility Committee to create and assess a comprehensive accessibility plan for the organization.
• We offer workplace accommodations and dedicated return to work support for employees.
• Employees have access to Employee Family Assistance program (EFAP), which is an employer-funded benefit that provides confidential support and information to assist employees in navigating life’s challenges.
• We have onsite Mental Health First Aid Attendants, who are available to provide support to those in need.
• We share a dedicated monthly newsletter on various DEI topics, including accessibility.
• All employees complete DEI training as part of our onboarding process, which include topics like Respect Matters, Intro to Diversity, Beyond Bias, Indigenous Awareness, Gender Awareness and Diversity in Action.
• We conduct an annual, confidential DEI survey utilizing an external vendor.
• We completed the Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB), which help us measure and monitor our DEI progress.