Sustainable investing

Strengthening the resilience of our general account portfolio.

As used throughout this section, the words “we”, “us”, and “our” may refer to Sun Life or to Sun Life’s asset managers acting upon the instructions of Sun Life as their Client. None of the statements in this section should be construed as applying to actions taken by our asset managers on behalf of any of their Clients other than Sun Life itself.

Our approach

Sustainable investing can help us deliver on our Purpose of helping Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives, while strengthening the resilience of our general account portfolio.

As a global asset management and insurance organization, we pool a large portfolio of premiums collected from policyholders into the Sun Life general account. We manage these assets to meet long-term obligations — providing benefits and paying claims — to safeguard our Clients’ financial security.

We consider material, long-term sustainability factors, as appropriate, to meet our risk-adjusted return requirements of the general account portfolio. We also invest a portion of Sun Life's general account assets in investments that support a range of our sustainability objectives.

The following information provides details on our sustainable investing approach for Sun Life’s general account. As an asset owner, we develop investment guidelines in collaboration with our asset managers to help meet our obligations to policyholders.

Randolph (Randy) Brown

Chief Investment Officer, Sun Life

"From the perspective of an asset owner with a long-term investment horizon for the general account of Sun Life, we consider financially material risk factors such as environmental issues as part of determining the long-term viability of investments."

There are various approaches to sustainable investing. As outlined in the Definitions for Responsible Investment Approaches published by the CFA Institute, Global Sustainable Investment Alliance and Principles for Responsible Investment, sustainable investing approaches can include integration of material sustainability factors into investment processes, stewardship, thematic investing, screening, and impact investing1.

We apply sustainable investing approaches for Sun Life’s general account, where appropriate, as an asset owner.

Our general account is invested to protect our financial strength. We make investment decisions through established processes focusing on diversification, liquidity and credit quality, with strong oversight. Effective investment management drives business performance and helps us fulfill commitments to Clients and shareholders.

Sustainability considerations, such as climate-related risks and opportunities, can be one element of prudent investment management as they may affect our portfolio's long-term performance and resilience. Where material, we incorporate these considerations into our investment and risk frameworks to prepare for changing economic, regulatory and market conditions.

Since 2020, we've developed tools, data systems, governance structures, and our team's capabilities. This allows us to incorporate material sustainability factors across various asset classes in our general account. Our approach continues to evolve with better data availability; improved analysis methods; and our ongoing commitment to better identify, assess and manage material risks and opportunities.

We are a financier of private sustainable infrastructure, providing long-term private capital to support construction, operation and maintenance. We work with governments, other businesses and local communities to help bring such projects to fruition and help enable value creation.

Sun Life has two outstanding sustainability bonds: a $500 million bond issued in 2023 and a $750 million bond issued in 2024. Refer to the Use of proceeds report, which details the breakdown of the allocated amount of net proceeds by eligible asset category, country and project type for the Sustainability Bonds. The assets that are supporting the sustainability bond are reviewed by an independent external party to confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria of the sustainability bond framework. To date, Sun Life has raised approximately $2 billion through its sustainability bond offerings. An amount equal to the net proceeds from each offering was used to finance or refinance, in whole or in part, new and/or existing eligible assets (as defined in Sun Life's 2019 Sustainability Bond Framework and 2024 Sustainability Bond Framework, as applicable).  

Sun Life is participating in industry efforts to advance opportunities to invest in a sustainable manner. In 2025, we became participants in the newly launched G7 Infrastructure Investment Council, alongside other financial institutions with infrastructure investment experience. We are contributing to the design and deployment of investment vehicles that mobilize private capital for sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets. Led by FinDev Canada under Canada's G7 presidency, the initiative creates a framework for collaboration between development finance institutions and investors to accelerate infrastructure that supports economic prosperity and resilience.

2025 Highlights

  • General account reached $29.1 billion in sustainable investments2.
  • Joined the new G7 Infrastructure Investment Council to help mobilize private capital at scale for sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets.

Learn more about our progress and performance in our 2025 Sustainability Report.

Sustainability spotlight

Recognition

2025 GRESB Real Estate Benchmark

Sun Life was awarded Sector Leader Status in the Development Component (North America: Diversified) in the 2025 GRESB assessment, ranking 1st out of 17 entities in its peer group. We also achieved 4 (out of 5) Stars in the Standing Investments and Development modules.

More resources from the general account

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.

Back to sustainability topics

Access to our solutions

Finances and health are deeply personal and reflect each individual’s circumstances. We believe in removing barriers to access by designing targeted and inclusive solutions, leveraging digital capabilities and providing personalized support.

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1 CFA Institute, Global Sustainable Investment Alliance and Principles for Responsible Investment. "Definitions for Responsible Investment Approaches". 2023.

2 Reflects assets managed for the general account. More information on AUM methodology, including criteria included in the calculation, is available upon request. Asset values included represent a non-IFRS financial measure. Sustainable investments meet one or more of the criteria for investments based on ICMA Green Bond Principles, ICMA Social Bond Principles, ICMA Sustainability Bond Guidelines, GRESB Real Estate Benchmark, and/or PRI Impact Investing Market Map. Where issuers do not obtain a third-party opinion or provide an internal opinion on their issuance, our investment professionals apply judgment to assess whether the use of proceeds meets the standards set out in the ICMA principles. Assets included may not align with criteria in Sun Life's Sustainability Bond Frameworks. Does not include all holdings in companies that may be defined as sustainable under other taxonomies.