Visit our corporate website on your smartphone: 
Our commitment
At Sun Life, we are committed to sustainability, assuring our customers that we’re in business for the long term, helping people achieve lifetime financial security.
Our commitment focuses on several main areas:
A sustainable future in the making
We believe that being a sustainable business encompasses our philanthropy programs, corporate governance, investment practices and long-term stability and the environment.
Our environmental practices continues to be one area of focus, making progress in such areas as sustainability certifications in our real estate assets, investments in clean and renewable energy projects and measuring and reporting greenhouse gases. We constantly seek better ways to be more efficient in our premises and in the way we carry on our business.
In 2011, Sun Life was recognized at the national, North American and global levels for our sustainability initiatives. We are a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for 2011-2012 and we were listed for the 11th consecutive year in the Financial Times and London Stock Exchange’s FTSE4Good Index, which recognizes companies meeting globally recognized standards for environmental sustainability, social betterment, stakeholder relations and human rights protection. We’re also proud to be one of the 2012 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World for managing social, environmental and governance issues.
Ensuring strong corporate governance
Our business is based on trust. Trust in our products and services. Trust that we’ll guide the company in a way that upholds the confidence of our customers, shareholders and business partners around the world.
Building trust and maintaining our reputation depends on the decisions we make, the values we follow, our leadership strength and the personal integrity of each and every employee.
It depends on having a strong and independent Board of Directors, as well as disciplined processes to mitigate various kinds of risk – operational, market and others.
It’s all part of good corporate governance. And it’s at the heart of what we do every day.
Investing in healthier futures
Sun Life focuses on proactive and preventative health and wellness programs that help build stronger, healthier communities.
We support innovative organizations around the world that encourage people from all walks of life to take a proactive approach to caring for their health. In 2011, we acted on our strong commitment to health and wellness with financial contributions of $3.3 million around the world.
Investing in art and culture
We believe that arts and culture make a tremendous contribution to our communities. We are proud to support and celebrate cultural organizations.
In Canada, for example, our Making the Arts More Accessible™ program brings the joy of the performing and visual arts to thousands of individuals, families and children who wouldn’t otherwise experience them. And we were pleased to continue our support as National Lead Visionary Partner of Culture Days - a collaborative, annual national event to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of people from all regions of Canada in the artistic and culture life of their communities. Our commitment of $750,000 over 3 years helps sustain and expand this unique celebration.
Giving back to our communities
Together with our subsidiaries and joint ventures, Sun Life continued to support charitable, non-profit and community programs around the world in 2011.
We have supported United Way for 70 years in Canada. United Way is one of the largest providers of funds to the volunteer and social service sector in Canada. In 2011, we were proud to receive a "Thanks a Million" award for the ninth consecutive year in recognition of our efforts in generating more than $1 million in donations to help support a network of 123 agencies across the country.
In the U.S. we marked 16 years as corporate sponsor of the Boston Marathon’s Jimmy Fund Walk, raising funds in support of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to continue the development of effective cancer therapies for children.
In Asia, Sun Life Hong Kong’s volunteer group, Sun Life Shining Action, supports a wide range of charities and organizations.
Sun Life Everbright (SLEB) in China received government support from the State General Administration for Sport for its SLEB Walk. The major social benefit campaign promotes low-carbon, green and healthy lifestyles.
Building a stronger future through education
We invest in education across a diversity of age groups and disciplines. In Canada, we were particularly engaged in financial literacy initiatives throughout 2011.
In the U.S., we continued to build on our Sun Life Rising Stars Awards, providing grants and scholarships to encourage at-risk youth to stay in school.
The Sun Life Financial Philippines Foundation develops and initiates programs that support the health and well-being of children, enhancements to the educational system and financial literacy, such as the innovative It’s Time! Awards.
In Indonesia, our Sun Bright for education program focuses on sustainable development, education and humanitarian aid.
Read more about these priorities in our Public Accountability Statement.
We’re proud that we are helping to make a difference around the world. Read our achievements to see the awards and recognition that Sun Life, our employees and our global partners have received.
In their own words
"UHN has a proud history of exceptional diabetes care, research and education dating back almost a century, to Banting and Best's discovery of insulin. Sun Life Financial's support will help us prevent, manage and cure diabetes, by: promoting healthy lifestyles; developing interventions that improve quality of life; and discovering new treatments."
Dr. Robert S. Bell, President and CEO, UHN
