Travelers 2006 Annual Report Download - page 6

04
In one initiative, to improve performance at the
point of sale, we are incorporating sales skills into
the training of all new and seasoned insurance pro-
fessionals. In another, we are maximizing the value
embedded in our proprietary underwriting history
to build industry-leading pricing segmentation, risk
control and customer intelligence tools.
Conclusion
We believe we can outperform our competition
in the property casualty insurance industry by
executing on all fronts. To that end, we continue
to focus on maximizing productivity, motivating and
retaining employees, developing sustainable prod-
uct advantages, driving out unnecessary costs
and building a distribution model that encourages
new business flow. These tactics will enable us to
earn more of our customers’ and our distributors’
business without jeopardizing our profitability.
Our goals as a company remain consistent for the
years to come. We will seek to grow market share
organically where marketplace conditions are
favorable; we are committed to returning capital to
shareholders when appropriate, and we target mid-
teen returns on equity over time. Ultimately, building
and protecting shareholder capital is a primary
responsibility.
In our broader community, Travelers will continue
to be a desirable employer, dedicated to providing
professional advancement and development
opportunities so that we can attract and retain
the best talent. As part of our commitment to corpo-
rate citizenship, we are working to minimize our
impact on the environment, such as through our
affiliation with the EPA’s Climate Leaders, and we
are continuing our longstanding tradition of being
actively involved in the communities in which we do
business. Our employees are also doing their part.
Year after year, they donate time and money to a
multitude of social and civic causes, complementing
our corporate giving program, which is focused on
community development, education and the arts.
Before I close, I would like to thank all of our
employees – nearly 33,000 strong – for their hard
work and dedication and to thank our agents and
brokers for their commitment to and partnership
with Travelers in this ever-changing environment.
I also want to extend my personal thanks to our
Board of Directors for their enthusiasm and counsel
and to offer our gratitude and best wishes to Les
Disharoon as he retires from our Board.
We had quite a year in 2006, and we fully intend
to build upon this success in the future. We have
begun 2007 on a high note by announcing the
return of the familiar red umbrella trademark. Our
agents and employees have expressed their enthu-
siasm about Travelers once again being associated
with this great American business icon – synony-
mous with insurance protection and innovation. This
gives us great momentum and energizes our pursuit
of profitable, organic growth in 2007 and beyond.
Jay S. Fishman
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Travelers demonstrates in multiple ways
how it does its part to protect and support
the global environment. The commitment to
being environmentally responsible encom-
passes more than energy efficiency in one’s
own operations. It involves encouraging
customers and employees to consider their
own impact and exhibiting leadership for
other companies to follow.
Protecting the Environment – One Step, or Light Bulb, at a Time
Travelers is one of the first insurance
companies to join the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Leaders
Partnership, an industry and government
program which works with companies to
develop greenhouse gas inventories and
reduction strategies. The company is also
a member of the Business Roundtable’s
Climate RESOLVE program, which is a
group of environmentally conscious com-
panies working to manage their greenhouse
gas emissions.
The company received the EPA’s ENERGY
STAR®designation for its two main
office campuses in Saint Paul, Minn., and
Hartford, Conn., for demonstrating
superior energy performance. Partnering
with ENERGY STAR, the company also
encouraged customers and employees to
“Take the Change a Light Pledge,” a pro-
gram promoting a change from standard
to energy-efficient compact, fluorescent
light bulbs.