The Hartford and the University of Connecticut (UConn) are working together on research that looks at two growing business risks: extreme heat and changing energy systems.
The research will focus on how extreme heat affects workers across industries, including its impact on health and productivity over time. It will also look at practical ways companies can manage heat risks while keeping operations running during extreme weather.
The work will be supported by The Hartford Laborer Safety Fund. As part of the project, The Hartford and the Korey Stringer Institute plan to pilot heat-management programs with selected businesses, applying research findings in actual workplace settings. The goal is to help employers better prepare for heat risks and adjust safety practices based on real-world results.
“The Hartford is committed to helping businesses safeguard assets, enhance resiliency and protect their employees. Through this strategic relationship with UConn, we are combining academic research with real-world risk expertise to generate practical insights employers can use to improve worker safety, reduce business losses and maintain productivity as climate-driven exposures continue to evolve,” The Hartford president A. Morris ‘Mo’ Tooker said.
Alongside this, the partnership also includes a separate research effort on energy systems. Through UConn’s Institute of the Environment and Energy, The Hartford is supporting a sustainability research fellowship under the university’s College of Engineering.
The fellowship will study the energy demands of data centers and the risks linked to technologies such as onsite power generation, battery storage, fuel cells, renewable energy, and microgrids. Using simulation and testing tools, the research will examine how these systems work and how related risks may change over time.
“The collaboration of The Hartford and UConn directly illustrates the importance of corporate partnerships in advancing the mission of academic and innovation excellence and the health and wellness of our people and our planet—two key pillars in the historic ‘Because of UConn’ philanthropic campaign. Our relationship with The Hartford supports the university’s strategic priorities and showcases the potential of advancing science with real-world impact,” UConn Foundation CEO Amy Yancey said.
The findings are expected to inform insurance and risk management decisions.
