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TORONTO, June 1, 2022
/PRNewswire/ - Manulife today announced the launch of its global
Impact Agenda, which articulates the company's commitment
to building a better business to better the world, inspired by
its mission: Decisions made easier. Lives made
better.
Manulife's Impact Agenda is centred around three interconnected
pillars:
- Empowering sustained health and well-being to support
the journey towards a better life
- Driving inclusive economic opportunities to create a
more even playing field for all
- Accelerating a sustainable future to preserve the planet
we all share
"I'm pleased to announce the launch of our Impact Agenda, as we
deepen our focus on sustainability. By sharpening our focus on the
impact we can have, we will drive meaningful change, committing
ourselves and our resources to long-term initiatives that
create value for our business, shareholders, and stakeholders,"
said Roy Gori, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Manulife. "The Impact Agenda is a lens to help
make decisions about our investments to address key societal and
environmental issues with our business expertise, including areas
related to innovations in products, services and community
investments, and decisions around thought leadership, advocacy and
public policy."
Manulife has established a strong foundation with its
environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts. The Impact
Agenda provides a framework for the organization to channel its
efforts towards tangible and measurable improvements in health,
wealth and sustainability, where the company has the greatest
ability to effect change. The key commitments of Manulife's global
Impact Agenda include:
Empowering Sustained Health and Well-being
- Innovate and scale behavioural insurance offerings
- Continue to elevate the well-being of its people through
initiatives like family-friendly and mental health benefits
programs
- Expand Healthy Building Certifications for key Manulife
Investment Management managed real estate properties
Driving Inclusive Economic Opportunity
- Increase representation of women at the AVP level to 40% and at
the VP+ level to 32% by 2022
- Increase representation of Black, Indigenous and People of
Colour (BIPOC) in leadership roles by 30% by 2025 and ensure at
least 30% BIPOC representation in graduate programs annually
- Increase spend with diverse suppliers by at least 4% by
2025
- Increase focus on financial inclusion and accessibility of
products and services
Accelerating a Sustainable Future
- Net zero financed emissions by 2050
- Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions 35% by 2035
- Certify 100% of eligible Manulife Investment Management managed
farmland as sustainably managed by 2023
- Reduce paper volume by 35% by 2025 and ensure remaining paper
is from sustainable sources
An international poll commissioned by Manulife and conducted
online by The Harris Poll among over 6,000 international adults
(defined as those ages 18+ in the US, Canada, Hong
Kong, Indonesia and
Malaysia) echoes the need for ESG
commitments that drive value across stakeholder groups. The survey
found that 86% of international adults wish there were easier ways
to improve their physical and mental well-being, 71% of
international adults are concerned they won't be able to achieve
their financial goals given the state of the current economy, and
nearly 9 in 10 (89%) international adults believe companies must
work harder to understand their employees' needs and address them
with empathy and compassion. By comparison, 68% (each) of
international adults feel it's more important today than 2 years
ago for the companies they do business with to combat climate
change and commit to sustainable operations.
"Through our Impact Agenda, we are continuing to address urgent
global needs that matter most to our colleagues, our clients and
the communities we serve," said Sarah
Chapman, Global Chief Sustainability Officer. "By sharpening
our focus and harnessing our unique strengths and the diversity of
our business and global footprint, we aim to make a positive impact
on the issues that will define our time, for generations to come.
This work benefits our business while benefiting our planet and the
people who call it home."
To learn more about the commitments made by Manulife, and to
track progress on our goals, visit Manulife.com/Impact.
About the Manulife/ Harris Poll Survey
This survey was
conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Manulife from
April 18-22, 2022 among 6,347
international adults ages 18 and older in the US (n=2,254),
Canada (n=1,042), Hong Kong (n=1,007), Indonesia (n=1,040), and Malaysia (n=1,004), among whom 4,370 are
employed. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a
Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data
is accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points using a 95%
confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including
weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact
media_relations@manulife.com.
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a
leading international financial services provider that helps people
make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global
headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and
insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia,
and Europe, and primarily as John
Hancock in the United
States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global
brand for our global wealth and asset management segment, we serve
individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide.
At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000
agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33
million customers. Our principal operations are
in Asia and Canada, and the United States, where we have served customers
for more than 160 years. We trade as 'MFC' on
the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges
and under '945' in Hong Kong. In the previous 12 months we
made CAD$32.7 billion in payments to our customers.
Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For
additional information, please visit manulife.com.
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SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation