For the ninth time since 1990, The St. Paul Companies has been named to Working Mother magazine's list of the 100 best companies for working mothers. The list rates U.S. employers on their commitment to helping employees balance work and family issues.

"When Working Mother magazine started the '100 Best' list in 1986, editors were hard-pressed to find more than 30 companies that qualified," said Lisa Benenson, editor in chief, Working Mother magazine, explaining how this year's honorees for the annual list were chosen. "This year, however, the competition was tougher than ever before. Businesses had to be more creative and proactive in finding ways to accommodate their employees' work/life needs. For this, their commitment and ingenuity is to be commended."

David Nachbar, senior vice president - Human Resources, said the company's consistent place on Working Mother's top employer list is significant recognition for The St. Paul's family-friendly working environment. "We are continually striving to meet the changing needs of our employees. We have consistently tried to upgrade the environment, and because of that, we have earned this recognition."

Some of the new programs and opportunities that The St. Paul introduced in 1999 include:

· The company created performance-related measures tied to corporate return on equity that would focus employees on what mattered most and drive productivity.

· Employees were given universal Internet access on April 3, putting more information on a variety of topics at easy employee reach.

· All medical and dental insurance, government and other employee forms have been loaded on the company's intranet.

· Mentoring programs, sponsored by the Women's Network, bring together women with role models and mentors who can help them successfully meet the challenges presented by their work lives and home lives.

· The company instituted a series of What's Brewing sessions that group 10 to 15 employees with an executive over morning coffee. Employees can ask questions that are on their minds, and executives get a deeper perspective of the issues that face most workers.

Working Mother selects the "100 Best Companies" based on five criteria: child care; leave for new parents; flexible work arrangements; work/life benefits such as elder care and adoption assistance; and opportunities for women.

Editors looked at a range of supportive company offerings, including health insurance premiums, availability of time off to care for sick children, mentoring programs and extras, such as on-site fitness centers and other conveniences.

St. Paul Companies, Inc. (The)

St. Paul Companies, Inc. (The)

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