Sun Life scores 100% for LGBTQ workplace equality for 12th consecutive year

WELLESLEY, Mass., Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. has been named a "Best Place to Work" for LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, receiving a 100% score for the 12^th straight year. The index is a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Sun Life has continued strong support of LGBTQ and all diversity groups through the company's inclusion networks.

"As employers, we need to continue to ensure that all of our employees can come to work as their authentic selves and thrive in an environment where they feel safe and valued," said Tammi Wortham, vice president of Human Resources at Sun Life U.S. "We are proud to be a progressive, inclusive company that recognizes great talent in all our employees and supports them in our work culture, professional development and work/life balance."

Among Sun Life's inclusion networks is Sun Life Pride, which holds educational events and community activities such as an employee panel on National Coming Out Day and PRIDE events in the U.S. and internationally. Sun Life promotes and participates in events for World AIDS Day and local events like Kansas City's annual AIDS walk each year. Sun Life is also an active participant in GLAD's community and educational events.

Sun Life has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights, joining 13 employer briefs that helped lead to the defeat of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) in 2013 and state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage in 2015. In 2018 Sun Life supported and promoted ballot Question 3 in Massachusetts, which prohibits discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of gender identity. In 2019 Sun Life joined other employers in signing on to an amicus brief for the Supreme Court cases determining whether LGBTQ employees are protected under the country's current civil rights law. The brief was led by a coalition of organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and Freedom for All Americans, the bipartisan campaign working to enact nondiscrimination protections for the LGBTQ community, and of which Sun Life has become a member.

This year also marks the launch of Sun Life's newly expanded paid family and medical leave program, which includes generous, fully-paid caregiver leave that is gender and generationally neutral. Recognizing that families come in all forms, Sun Life offers a "chosen family" option, allowing employees to take leave to care for someone close to them who may not be related by blood or marriage.

Other inclusion networks at Sun Life are Black Excellence Alliance (BEA); American Asian Heritage Association (AAHA); BrightWomen; diverseAbility; Mosaic; and Hispanic Organization for Leaders and Achievers (HOLA). To learn more about Sun Life's commitment to supporting LGBTQ rights and all Sun Life inclusion networks, visit www.sunlife.com/usdiversityandinclusion.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life 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, 2019, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1,063 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.

In the United States, Sun Life is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary and medical stop-loss. Sun Life and its affiliates in asset management businesses in the U.S. employ approximately 5,500 people. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.

Media contact:

Devon Portney Fernald

Sun Life

781-416-7151

Devon.Portney.Fernald@sunlife.com

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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.