Financing positive impact: Supporting treatment for opioid abuse and addiction
Sun Life is a lender to one of the largest opioid treatment providers in North America. It’s part of our commitment to funding projects and companies that positively impact people, communities and the planet.
Many of Sun Life’s sustainable investments have created meaningful outcomes in the lives of others. For example, in 2021, the company invested in 96 new sustainable projects, with 15 focused on social infrastructure.
Supporting health-care facilities is one of our focus areas, because it ties to part of our company purpose: helping people live healthier lives. This opioid treatment provider has 300+ locations in 35 states and 3 Canadian provinces serving approximately 67,000 people daily.
Considerable growth in pain medications has generated material increases in opioid abuse and addiction. Opioid abuse is widely recognized as one of the worst epidemics that North America has faced. The opioid treatment provider’s services improve the lives of patients, reduce unemployment and homelessness, and lower the risk of incarceration. It is estimated that in the U.S. every $1 invested in substance use disorder saves $7 in criminal justice costs and $4 in health-care costs.
We have been a lender to this treatment centre since 2017. We renewed our financing commitment to the company in 2021, based on its strong performance and the positive impacts for people and communities in which it operates.
Learn more about our sustainable investments.
