Wanderwell Responsible Business Guide & Bylaws
for the governing body of Wanderwell
Our Mission Statement
Wanderwell is a travel insurance agency committed to guiding travelers towards comprehensive, yet cost-effective plans, giving you peace of mind on your adventures.
We are passionate about promotion and practice of responsible, regenerative tourism and environmental conservation by considering all stakeholders, including our travelers’ destinations. In 2022 we donate 3% of annual revenue to established environmental partners of 1% for the Planet - an organization focused on social impact and environmental stewardship - as well as to other nonprofits that foster and promote sustainable, regenerative travel approaches. Travel insurance...for good.
Wanderwell is a registered Oregon Benefits Corp. We also earned and received our initial B Corporation certification in March of 2017 and re-certified in 2020. B Corp certification is a third-party certification process provided by B Lab, a “nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good.”TM
Wanderwell was awarded Best for the World in Community and Governance in 2018 and 2019 by B Lab.
Throughout 2024, Wanderwell will be in the process of implementing the SDG Action Manager, and determining how to become a Net Zero company.
Governing Body
These founders constitute the governing body of Wanderwell: Erin Fish, Phil Gordon, and Robby Kushner. We intend to have an official Board of Directors established by the end of 2023.
Entity Registration
Wanderwell is regsitered in the State of Oregon as eatapea, LLC (dba Wanderwell Insurance Services).
Shareholder Meetings
Shareholder and Governing Body meetings are held on the first Monday of each month.
Changing the Company Bylaws
This process can start with a member of the Governing Body or Board proposing modification of the bylaws. The length of time for changes to be created depends may take more than two meetings to complete. For legality and compliance, the changes should first be approved and documented before they are adopted.
Code of Ethics
Wanderwell strives to always meet the highest ethical standards for all directors and employees.
Wanderwell requires that all directors and employees comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the business.
If you become aware of the violation of any law, rule or regulation by the Company, whether by employees, directors, or any third party doing business on behalf of the Company, it is your responsibility to promptly report the matter to your supervisor.
click here to review Wanderwell's complete Code of Ethics
Value of Using Wanderwell
- Wanderwell presents a self-service model that curates your travel insurance search. We offer less than a handful of comprehensive plans from reliable, progressive insurance carriers to simplify your search and offer options which appropriately cover your adventures.
- Seamless user experience that makes purchasing and understanding your travel insurance coverage a breeze.
- Easy access to customer service and insurance claims assistance.
- 1%-2% of the user’s purchase price (~5% of Wanderwell revenue) is donated to established nonprofit members of 1% for the Planet, which focus on social impact and environmental stewardship, as well as to other nonprofits that promote sustainable, regenerative travel approaches.Travel insurance…for good
Key Customer Segments
- Individual domestic and international travelers embarking on trips for one (1) to ninety (90) days for leisure and/or business travel and are seeking insurance to cover the investment of their trip (“trip protection” style products)
- Individual international travelers embarking on trips for one (1) to 360 days for leisure and/or business travel and are seeking insurance to primarily cover the potential medical expenses incurred in their trip (“travel medical” style products)
- Travel groups sponsoring groups of five (5) or more travelers
- Institutions of higher education who enroll students studying abroad in foreign countries
- Independent students studying abroad in foreign countries, through a foreign college or university
- Corporations with employees who consistently travel for business
- Expats and anyone living outside their home country
Employee-Centered Values
Scalable employee benefits include:
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, & Vision insurance
- Short-term disability insurance
- Workers Compensation insurance
- 15 days of Paid Time Off per year
- 10 paid Holidays per year, plus 1 floating holiday
- Paid Leave for all eligible employees
- Commuter benefits (bus/metro pass, car sharing)
- Bike Locker on-site
- Employees encouraged to limit use of paper by utilizing Google G-Suite, Slack, and more for cloud-based communication
- Each employee, including owners/officers, participates in quarterly organized volunteering events in the local community
- “Golden Ticket” after three (3) years of full-time employment = One week with volunteering component in region of employee’s choosing.
Employee Expectations
- Present a clean and professional appearance when representing Wanderwell, inside or outside of the office.
- Dress in appropriate business attire, and to behave in a professional, businesslike manner, extending the highest courtesy at all times to co-workers, visitors, suppliers, vendors, customers, and clients.
- Maintain a clean, orderly workspace that provides a professional environment conducive to working efficiently - free of items that will inhibit the ability to perform the job appropriately. The workspace should portray Wanderwell’s overall dedication to providing quality service to our clients.
- Report to work when scheduled.
- Notify the immediate supervisor or designated manager in advance if absence from work is expected.
- Notify the immediate supervisor or designated manager in advance if absence from work is *unexpected*. Such notification can be made no later than one hour before employee is due at work.
Environmental Policies
- Limit use of paper, utilize technology for cloud-based communication
- Recycle glass, plastic, metals, and paper appropriately in our on-site recycling bins
- Compost in our on-site composting bin (managed by Wanderwell)
- Limit the use of waste products and utensils destined for landfills
- Reduce commute time by either residing close to work, if feasible, and/or use cleaner modes of transportation (ie. bus/metro pass, car sharing, carpooling, walking, biking)
- Purchase food and supplies from aligned companies (B Corps, regenerative & organic farms, etc)
- Make use of the indoor, secure bike locker located on-site
Supplier & Vendor Screening Policies
- Warranty: The carriers we represent will have a look-back/free-look period of at least seven (7) days for purchased plans.
- Better Business Bureau: The carriers we represent will have a minimum grade of “A-“ from the Better Business Bureau
- Customer Service & Claims: Wanderwell will evaluate carriers’ customer service and claims assistance performance on an annual basis. This practice will enable us to better advocate for our customers.
Banking:
- Wanderwell has elected to manage our business banking with Beneficial State Bank, a Certified B Corp with an engaged local branch. Their mission focuses on building community prosperity by investing in local businesses and organizations in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.
Vendors:
- Our Web Developers and Legal Advisors are based locally in Portland, OR and Los Angeles, CA, within a short distance from Wanderwell headquarters and Governing Body households.
Stakeholder Engagement Policy
It is the policy of Wanderwell to recognize that we impact our stakeholders and to solicit their feedback and input when making business decisions.
Wanderwell will:
- Identify relevant stakeholders
- Identify potential topics that may be relevant to them
- Gather feedback from stakeholders via surveys, individual interviews, focus groups/meetings, or other means
- Review and organize the feedback received
- Develop an action plan that ensures that stakeholder feedback will be addressed and integrated into your business decisions
- Implement the action plan and reevaluate it annually
Ethical Marketing Policy
This policy sets out marketing practices that align with socially and environmentally responsible business practices such as those followed by Certified B Corps.
Wanderwell will ensure that all marketing, both online and offline, will:
- Honestly represent Wanderwell products and services, without intentionally misleading clients in any way
- Follow best practices for permission-based email marketing by requiring a double opt-in where clients must confirm their email address and their wish to subscribe to the newsletter
- Not share client’s email addresses without their express consent
click here to review Wanderwell's complete Ethical Marketing Policy*
Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
- Single-Trip & Major Medical Plans: In 2019, the average Wanderwell sale had a premium of $202.04
- Average revenue of $54.86 per sale (before 10% donation and affiliate payouts)
- Revenue KPI:
- By December 31, 2021, sell 300 Single-Trip & Major Medical plans per month; Day Sales Outstanding (DSO) = 10 sales per day
- By December 31, 2020, insure 300 lives on International Major Medical Long-term/Expat plans.
Donations: We aim to donate 5% of annual revenue or 20% of net income to established nonprofit members of 1% for the Planet, which focus on social impact and environmental stewardship, as well as to other nonprofits that promote sustainable, regenerative travel approaches. In 2022 we donated 3.28% of annual revenue.
- Donations KPI: For 2023 sales, donate at least $20,000 to beneficiary nonprofits.
Volunteering: Wanderwell employees, including owners/officers, commit to volunteering a minimum of 3 hours per quarter in 2023. We have partnered with many nonprofits to organize volunteering opportunities internally, in conjunction with the B Corp, 1% for the Planet, and Business for a Better Portland communities. *120 cumulative hours volunteered in 2019 & 2021.
Timeline
2023
- Update website design to clearly invoke and portray the mission of Wanderwell and the simplicity of our service
- Refine quoting and purchasing pathway
- Increase market exposure through email marketing, SEO, and blog
- Introduce Post-Departure (travel medical) style plan!
- Expand Wanderwell Affiliate Program Network to 50 affiliates by end of 2023
- Employees to volunteer 20+ hours with 1% for the Planet Environmental Partners
2024
- Introduce new retail and custom Trip Protection style plans for general travel, business travel, summer camps
- Expand Wanderwell Affiliate Program Network to 100 affiliates by end of 2023
- Employees to volunteer 40+ hours with 1% for the Planet Environmental Partners
- Implement SDG Action Manager