Sun Life deepens commitment to sustainability and is named one of the 2018 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World

Sun Life is the only Canadian insurance company to be listed

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2018 /CNW/ - For the ninth consecutive year, Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) ("Sun Life") has been named among the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World (the "Global 100"), in a ranking maintained by Corporate Knights, a Toronto based media and investment advisory company. Sun Life is one of only four Canadian companies across all sectors to be included in the ranking, and the only Canadian insurance company to earn a spot on the 2018 Global 100.

"For more than 150 years, Sun Life has focused on building and maintaining a strong and sustainable business for our Clients, employees, advisors and the communities we serve," said Melissa Kennedy, Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer and Public Affairs, Sun Life Financial. "We are proud to be named one of the most sustainable companies in the world and see our relentless commitment to Clients as a key component to furthering our sustainability agenda."

Sun Life's sustainability strategy is focused on four areas where the company continues to deepen its commitment to building sustainable, healthier communities for life:

• Community Wellness: We believe that by actively supporting the communities where we live and work, we can build a healthier, brighter future for our Clients, employees, advisors and shareholders.
• Organizational Resilience: Our ambition is to be one of the best insurance and asset management companies in the world. It's about cultivating an organization that is competitive, resilient, forward-thinking and sustainable for the long-term.
• Environmental Responsibility: We believe that we must be accountable for the impact of our operations on the environment, and we take steps to measure, manage and reduce that impact.
• Governance and Risk Management: We are committed to maintaining strong corporate governance practices and ethical behaviour throughout the organization, focusing on disciplined risk management and following disclosure practices that are both responsive and responsible.

In 2018, Sun Life is continuing to strengthen its sustainability practices by establishing and reporting on shorter and longer-term environmental targets.

"These targets deepen our commitment to reducing the impact our business activities have on the environment, and will enable us to hold ourselves accountable for continuously improving the way we operate and manage that impact," Kennedy added.

The Global 100 ranking was announced today by Corporate Knights. Applying a data driven approach, Corporate Knights assesses roughly 7,000 companies against global industry peers on a suite of up to 17 quantitative key performance indicators covering resource, employee and financial management, green revenue and supplier performance.

To learn about Sun Life's sustainability strategy and initiatives, visit the Sustainability page on www.sunlife.com.

About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2017, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management of $934 billion. For more information please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

About Sun Life Financial in the community
At Sun Life Financial, we are committed to building sustainable, healthier communities for life and we're proud to hold the Caring Company designation from Imagine Canada. Community wellness is an important part of our sustainability commitment and we believe that by actively supporting the communities in which we live and work, we can help build a positive environment for our Clients, Employees, advisors and shareholders. Our philanthropic support focuses on two key areas: health, with an emphasis on diabetes awareness, prevention, care and research initiatives through our Team Up Against Diabetes™ platform; and arts and culture, through our award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible™ program. We also partner with sports properties in key markets to further our commitment to healthy and active living. Our Employees and advisors take great pride in volunteering over 40,000 hours each year and contribute to making life brighter for individuals and families across Canada.

Note to Editors: All figures in Canadian dollars except as otherwise noted. 

Media Relations Contact:
Alessandra Nigro
Director, Corporate Communications
T. 416-979-4884
alessandra.nigro@sunlife.com

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.