Equipping SMBs for success Fulfilling our people and teams Growing financial confidence for all Investing for shared prosperity Our business practices Principal Foundation Volunteerism
Sustainability Equipping SMBs for success
Equipping small and midsized businesses for success
Deploying accessible solutions

Our goal: Enhance the accessibility and understanding of our benefits and protection solutions for business owners and their employees, enabling them to make confident decisions that protect their financial futures.
Two women looking at tablet.
Product equity and access

We are aware of the various obstacles that individuals and businesses face in planning, protecting, and saving for the future. By leveraging our unique position, we can help break down these barriers by enhancing the accessibility of financial and insurance products, services, and solutions.

Accessibility commitment

Hola Futuro
Providing comprehensive benefit solutions and support

Our goal: Maximize the effectiveness of our benefits and protection solutions in supporting business continuity and growth, enabling businesses to thrive and expand their employee benefits offerings.
Education tools and resources

We provide employees with comprehensive resources and educational materials that support financial security at every life stage, while also giving employers the education and guidance they need to offer benefits that are easy to understand and truly valued.

To support long-term planning, we integrate our protection offerings with tools, resources, and advisory support that help business owners make informed decisions as their businesses grow. This includes data-driven digital tools like the Principal® Business Needs Assessment Tool, which helps owners evaluate and strengthen their financial plans.

Access to discounts

Elevate by Principal continues to fuel the success of SMBs by providing free access to discounts on the products and services they rely on every day.

Designed to help businesses manage expenses and accelerate growth, the platform has supported more than 1,500 businesses to date—helping them operate more efficiently and invest more confidently in their futures.
Graph of Progress towards our updated 2025 diverse SMB goal.
Progress toward our 2025 diverse SMB goal:

In 2021, together with Principal Foundation, we committed to double the number of diverse small and midsized businesses (SMBs) we support through product access, capital access programs, community development, and financial education by 2025.

In 2023, we achieved our five-year goal in our third year with a total of 14,745 diverse entrepreneurs and businesses supported.

In 2025, we ended the year supporting 11,863 diverse SMBs and entrepreneurs, exceeding our annual target of 7,700 and reaching our ultimate goal of supporting 30,000 diverse SMBs.
We’re working toward this goal by offering:
  • Product access: making insurance and savings products more accessible to diverse business owners.
  • Community development: providing insights, education, and support for diverse SMBs to tackle common obstacles and act on issues important to them.
  • Capital access: advocating for more equitable access to capital for diverse businesses and entrepreneurs.
  • Financial education: supplying financial education that empowers diverse SMBs to make informed financial decisions, manage risks, and position their businesses for long-term success and sustainability.
2025 highlights

8.3% The portion of our total small and midsized business customers in the U.S. represented by diverse business owners

1,500+ Elevate by Principal has supported more than 1,500 businesses to date 

1,900 Informal Business Valuations provided by Principal to help business owners understand the current value of their business

2025 Sustainability report

Read more about our commitment to sustainability.

Download full report (PDF)

Our work supports the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth Goal 10: Reduced inequalities Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Footnotes

Principal Community Relations supports the communities where affiliates of the Principal Financial Group ® , Des Moines, IA 50392 operates. Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company ® , a member of the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA 50392. Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. (‘Principal ® Foundation’) is a duly recognized 501(c)(3) entity focused on providing philanthropic support to programs that build financial security in the communities where Principal Financial Group, Inc. (‘Principal’) operates. While Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal, Principal Foundation is a distinct, independent, charitable entity. principal Foundation does not practice any form of investment advisory services and is not authorized to do so.  Capital access programs refer to investments in and grant-making to third-party organizations that provide access to capital. Grants are made from Principal ® Foundation. 

Represents SMBs in the U.S. owned by women or people of color. Approximately 1.5% of SMBs are owned by people of color who are also women.