Client health

Mental health is one of the key issues of our time. The World Health Organization estimates that one in eight people around the world live with a mental health disorder³. In Canada, half a million people miss work each week due to mental illness⁴. The COVID-19 pandemic increased mental health challenges, leading to new cases of depression and anxiety worldwide⁵. Similarly, increased frequency and severity of natural disasters on individual communities and livelihoods have been correlated to a rise in mental health concerns such as post-traumatic stress disorder⁶.That’s why we continue to prioritize mental health for our Clients and communities. We have developed programs and partnerships focused on removing barriers to effective treatment and recovery.

In Canada, for example, our Mental Health Coach (the “Coach”) supports group benefits Clients’ mental health journeys. The program identifies Clients most at-risk of developing mental health problems. The Coach provides these Clients with personalized treatment options, leveraging resources already available to them in their benefits plan, and regular check-ins for ongoing care. In the U.S., we’ve partnered with AbleTo, a leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based virtual mental health therapy and coaching solutions. AbleTo offers convenient mental health services to help Sun Life disability and critical illness Clients cope with cancer diagnoses. We've also broadened access to health services in the U.S. by enhancing our group life insurance portfolio with AbleTo Self Care+.

Another focus is helping people stay at work when facing an illness or injury, when appropriate. We offer accommodation, disability management and return-to-work services for Clients enrolled in Sun Life’s employer disability plans (North America).

We offer a growing suite of resources that give people the latest health insights, provide answers on health topics that matter to them and inspire healthier living. These resources include videos, articles, webinars and apps. In our retail business in Canada, for instance, we’ve partnered with a wellness provider to pilot an app that rewards Clients for taking actions towards improving their physical, mental and financial health. In the U.S., DentaQuest's Preventistry®² approach promotes oral health education and preventative care. This helps members improve outcomes and avoid costly dental treatments.

Drawing on our experiences in creating wellness solutions for our own employees, we share what we’ve learned with others. We do this by developing resources, such as Bright Paper reports, videos and podcasts that all employers can use to advance health in their own organizations. For example, our Women's Health Bright Paper report provides unique and actionable insights into women's health issues in the workplace to help address the existing gender health gap.

We continue to be a thought leader. We work with researchers and government bodies to solve issues standing in the way of every employee getting health benefits and preventive health care. We are also committed to better understanding the risks climate change has on Client health and wellness. Refer to our Sustainability Report for examples.