Newsletters
Risk Central
Digital Edition2025 Theo Award Winner: The Save Mart Companies
In the aftermath of 2020, The Save Mart Companies found itself facing a familiar challenge that had intensified across the grocery industry.
Workers’ compensation claims were surging, and the associated costs were climbing at an unsustainable rate. The physical demands and fast-paced environment of grocery retail had always contributed to frequent injuries, but the post-pandemic landscape brought new pressures that made reactive claim management no longer viable.
The company recognized that something fundamental had to change.
Rather than continue managing claims after injuries occurred, Save Mart needed to shift its entire approach toward prevention and smarter resolution strategies.
The challenge was clear: reduce both the frequency and cost of claims while ensuring employees remained safe, supported, and productive.
Tackling the Problem
Rosie Partida, director of risk management, Save Mart
In 2023, Save Mart embarked on a comprehensive transformation of its workers’ compensation strategy, partnering with CorVel to implement a four-pillar approach focused on prevention, early intervention, efficient claim resolution, and collaborative execution.
“The most impactful change was shifting from a reactive to a preventive mindset,” said Rosie Partida, Save Mart’s director of risk management. “We implemented targeted safety training at high-incident locations, increased leadership presence on the floor, and used data to pinpoint and address recurring hazards.”
At the heart of this transformation was a fundamental change in how Save Mart approached workplace safety.
The company made safety a shared responsibility at the store level, requiring root cause analysis for every new claim. Store managers received training and ongoing support from environmental health and safety consultants and brokers to identify risks and implement effective mitigation strategies.
Save Mart focused its targeted safety training on high-risk locations and the most common injury types, particularly strains, sprains and lacerations. This data-driven approach ensured that training resources were deployed where they could have the greatest impact, despite the high turnover rates typical in the grocery industry.
“Save Mart focuses on targeted, data-driven safety training tailored to high-risk locations and common injury types,” Partida explained. “Store managers receive ongoing support from environmental health and safety team, enabling them to identify risks and implement effective mitigation strategies.”
The company also revolutionized its approach to early intervention by optimizing CorVel’s 24/7 nurse triage program. This initiative gave employees immediate access to clinical guidance, helping them receive appropriate care while preventing unnecessary emergency room visits and reducing time away from work.
“Historically, many of these incidents would have been routed directly to urgent care or the ER, even when unnecessary,” Partida said. “With 24/7 clinical guidance, employees now receive the right level of care immediately — often including onsite first aid — helping to avoid unnecessary treatment, lost time, and inflated claim costs.”
On the claims resolution side, Save Mart’s risk management team replaced traditional file reviews with collaborative roundtable discussions involving CorVel and defense counsel.
This strategic shift enabled faster settlements, more efficient litigation strategies, and streamlined internal decision-making.
“Roundtables foster true collaboration,” Partida said. “Instead of reviewing files in isolation, risk management, legal, and claims adjusters problem solve together in real time. This leads to faster settlements, fewer disputes, and more strategic resolutions.”
Central to Save Mart’s approach was the implementation of thorough root cause analysis for every incident. Rather than simply treating injuries as they occurred, the company committed to understanding the underlying factors that contributed to workplace incidents.
“For every new claim, we don’t just treat the injury, we dive in to understand what caused it in the first place,” Partida explained. “It’s about asking the ‘why’ beyond the surface and figuring out if there’s something in the way work is done, the equipment we use, or the environment that’s putting people at risk.”
Success to Build On
The results of Save Mart’s comprehensive approach have been impressive.
In 2024, the company achieved a 25% reduction in new claims, demonstrating the direct impact of increased risk awareness and store-level prevention strategies.
Organization: Save Mart * Location: Modesto, Calif. * Number of Employees: 12,000 * Category: Retail & Wholesale
Perhaps even more striking was the performance at Save Mart’s five historically highest-claiming locations, where claims dropped by 43% compared to 2020 levels, excluding COVID-related cases. This dramatic improvement showed that targeted interventions could transform even the most challenging environments.
The company saw significant improvements across all major injury categories. Sprains and strains, historically the most common injuries in grocery retail, decreased by 40%. Lacerations dropped by 19%, reflecting the effectiveness of targeted safety training and hazard mitigation efforts.
The optimized 24/7 nurse triage program proved particularly valuable, with 36% of calls classified as “record-only,” meaning no physician treatment was required and employees could continue working without interruption.
“Save Mart exemplifies what’s possible when a company truly prioritizes its people,” said Michael Combs, president and CEO, CorVel Corporation.
“The team’s commitment to proactive care, data-driven decision making, and collaborative partnership has led to outstanding outcomes, not just for the business but for the injured employees they support every day. CorVel is proud to stand alongside Save Mart in driving meaningful change in workers’ compensation, and we believe their efforts fully embody the spirit of the Theo Award.”
“Beyond the 43% reduction at our highest-claiming sites, we achieved a 25% overall decrease in new claims and observed a decline of 40% in common injury categories, such as sprains and strains,” Partida noted. “These results reflect a cultural shift toward safety awareness and early reporting.”
The collaborative roundtable approach to claims resolution also delivered significant results, contributing to a 50% increase in settled claims in 2024. Meanwhile, the average cost per claim decreased by 20%, demonstrating that improved processes could enhance both efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
These outcomes reflected not only improved processes but also stronger collaboration between internal teams and external partners, including CorVel, brokers, and legal counsel. The comprehensive strategy created a sustainable, proactive model for managing workplace safety and claims that benefited both the organization and its employees.
Save Mart’s success demonstrates that transforming workplace safety requires commitment to understanding the root causes of incidents and implementing systematic solutions. The company’s approach shows that investing in prevention and early intervention creates value for both employers and employees.
“If there’s one big takeaway I’d share with other employers, it’s this: don’t just react to incidents take the time to explore them fully,” Partida said. “That effort leads to smarter training, safer workplaces, and fewer injuries down the road.” &
The Theo Award celebrates its sophomore year, honoring 32 workers’ compensation programs for their excellence and service to workers across the nation. To learn more about the award and amazing qualities each winner possesses, visit here.
