An estimated 75 million pets in the U.S. may not have access to the veterinary care they need by 2030, with an important factor being a critical shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Further, with nearly 90% of veterinary professionals identifying as white, the need to not only increase the number of veterinary professionals but also to diversify the talent pipeline is critical for the industry.

Banfield Pet Hospital recently teamed up with actor and comedian Kenan Thompson to launch a new national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America that encourages high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in veterinary medicine. Plus, Banfield announced its hashtag#NextVet internship, giving 15 high school students across the country an immersive experience, providing insight into what it’s like to work in the veterinary industry.

This is all part of a nearly $10 million commitment to help veterinary professionals realize their full potential while creating accessible pathways for individuals that aspire to follow in their footsteps. Read more here: bit.ly/3m7FZYv

At Banfield, we are constantly evaluating how we can make a lasting impact on pets, people, and society. I am driven by our purpose to make a better world for pets. As leaders, we need to constantly drive our discussions and decisions back to how can we improve the lives and realities of everyone in our care.

Striving to be a beacon for how a company ought to behave comes with a tremendous responsibility. As organizations come together to advocate and make change, meaningful collaborations are essential. I'm very grateful for our recently launched BANDtogether Roundtable and the progress these discussions will support.

Together, we can ensure that we are doing our part to make an impact and elevate societal wellbeing.

Creating a culture of belonging requires us, as leaders, to not only listen to the individuals in our community but take timely, actionable steps towards positive change.

The power of advocacy and action can be seen in the exceptional work of Banfield’s PRIDE Diversity Resource Group, a team of leaders who are unwavering in their dedication to making Banfield an increasingly inclusive, equitable, and welcoming workplace for all. Their work has been incredibly impactful for our community, and an inspiration to us all!

Happy Pride, everyone!

Knowing that the future is unpredictable is one thing, experiencing how unpredictable it can be is something else altogether.

The past year has presented us all with challenges we never could have predicted and for which there were no plans, procedures, or how-to guides for how best to adapt to a new normal. For Banfield, our success in adjusting to the pandemic is owed--in large part--to the ingenuity, insight, and collaboration of our Associates.

Banfield’s culture of communication, inclusion, and empathy was key in helping our organization not only survive 2020 but thrive.

After a year of working from home, the human animal bond has strengthened and evolved--leaving many pet owners concerned about how they and their pets will adapt to post-pandemic work.

Luckily, employers and employees alike are finding new ways to build pet-friendly routines as they look to get back to in-office work! I’m so excited to see the start of incredible progress in pet-friendly workplaces, and am proud that Banfield will hashtag#bhere to support pets and clients as the transition to a post-Covid world continues!

With each of us moving quickly to put last year in the rearview, I’m proud that we’re taking time as an organization to truly celebrate solidarity and giving back in a year that felt like one obstacle after another. It’s tough to think of a better day than hashtag#NationalLoveYourPetDay to launch the 2020 Banfield Pet Hospital Corporate Social Responsibility Report and the Banfield Foundation Impact Report!

Both reports tell powerful stories of what’s possible when our associates and teams leverage our size and scale for good. I continue to be deeply grateful for everything we accomplished in 2020 and how we came together to be there for each other and the pets and communities that count on us. As 2021 takes shape, we’re eager to do more to further our societal impact.

The pandemic caused many shifts in the way we interact. The client experience must continue evolving too. Digital innovation, ease of access, and personalization will come to define customer-centric service.

I’m excited about steps Banfield is taking to support even more meaningful client experiences and increased access to care. How are you meeting your customers where they are, in ways that work for them?

2020 has provided a necessary shift in perspective and encouraged us all to be more thoughtful, kind, and unified. As we reach the finish line of this particularly challenging year, looking forward to Banfield’s future is a great source of inspiration and hope.

As a leader, I am deeply grateful to the people who helped keep Banfield moving forward despite all obstacles: our associates. We are more committed than ever to continue investing in our associates through Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity initiatives; educational opportunities; an emphasis on health and wellbeing; and increases in wages and benefits.

Together with our associates, we are ramping up our focus on innovating and personalizing the experience of our clients in 2021. I’m confident this will allow us to move closer to achieving our purpose, creating hashtag#ABetterWorldForPets.

As we reflect and celebrate how the challenges of 2020 have pushed all of us to adapt, two important takeaways motivate our growth: a focused culture of recognition and the empowerment of associate voices. Since I started with Banfield, creating this environment has been our #1 priority. The perspective and value of every associate voice has such an influence and impact on how we deliver on our promise to build a better world for pets. I’m grateful for how this enthusiasm continues to unlock our future.

Over the course of this challenging –– and at times heartbreaking –– year we have all been given the opportunity to reflect upon our impact on one another, our communities, and society. Banfield's annual Pet Healthcare Industry Summit is no exception. Our industry is currently facing two significant crises: the potential of a massive shortage in veterinary care providers by 2030, and the disappointing reality that our profession is one of the least diverse healthcare industries in the United States. Now is the time for leadership and action.

Today, as this year's virtual Pet Healthcare Industry Summit begins, I'm grateful to outline the new commitments from Banfield, our partners, and organizations across our profession. Through this unity, we can create substantive change, and continue to build on that positive momentum to impact society.

As we wrap up our first ever practice wide Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity Week, I am grateful to all our associates, teams and leaders for their engagement throughout this “binclusive” week’s programming.

This continued commitment to being actionable allies will ensure that our activism will generate the momentum our society needs for lasting change. The role we play as individuals, and our collective efforts, will help us ensure that there is no place in veterinary medicine, and society, for racism or discrimination of any kind.

My first year as president of Banfield Pet Hospital offered powerful examples of our capacity to positively impact the lives of people and pets in every community we serve. Join me in celebrating just a few of our collective successes from 2017.

In my new role as president, I find myself revisiting those same emotions when I hear about our associates continuing this dedication to serve. It’s in that spirit that I’m proud to release our recently published 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report.