The foundation of our approach is our Supplier Code of Conduct, which establishes clear expectations across ethical, human rights and general conduct areas. This framework guides our supplier relationships and provides the basis for periodic assessment of critical suppliers. For more details, refer to our Supplier Code of Conduct.
At Sun Life, we recognize that effective procurement practices are key to operating as a well-governed, ethical business. We have a wide range of procurement needs that include technology infrastructure and digital solutions, professional services, office supplies, marketing resources and specialized expertise.
We are committed to creating a work environment that fosters collaboration and respect. This commitment extends beyond our offices to the suppliers and the partners in our supply chain. We acknowledge that sustainability factors in our supply chain can disrupt our operations and increase risks to our business.
Our approach
By proactively identifying, managing and mitigating risks related to our supply chain, while holding our suppliers to the same ethical standards we expect of ourselves, we strengthen the integrity and stability of our operations and build trust with our stakeholders. We apply a multi-pronged approach to responsible procurement that sets ethical expectations for suppliers, and supports risk management throughout our supply chain.
We conduct broad-based sustainability due diligence on potential suppliers as part of our supplier selection process. We have also conducted analysis, workshops and targeted assessments to develop a better understanding of human rights considerations in the supply chain.
Complementing these efforts is our Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) program, under which third-party (i.e. supplier) risks are identified, assessed and managed proportionately to the level of risk and importance to Sun Life. Sun Life's TPRM Program is aligned with OSFI Guideline B-10.
2025 Highlights
- Enhanced our approach to considering human rights in procurement by establishing human rights principles for our business, including our supply chain.
- Focused on deepening our existing Indigenous supplier relationships in Canada as part of our commitment to our Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations objectives.
- Measured a subset of carbon emissions in our supply chain, specifically focusing on Scope 3, Category 1 Purchased Goods and Services1.
Learn more about our progress and performance in our 2025 Sustainability Report.
Explore more sustainability topics
Sustainability topics
We’re focused on taking action on 16 priority sustainability topics that our stakeholders identify as most important and that we believe have the biggest impact on our business.
Risk and resilience
Proactively identifying, measuring, managing, monitoring and reporting risk is key to making our business more resilient. A risk management mindset helps us meet our financial commitments to Clients and protects our competitiveness over time.
1 Sun Life reports Purchased Goods & Services (PG&S) emissions associated with its North America procurement function. PG&S emissions are derived from the upstream production of goods and services that Sun Life purchases to support its enterprise operations. Please refer to the GHG Methodology document we publish separately for more information.