Sun Life U.S. announces philanthropic support for diversity education and racial justice organizations around the country

WELLESLEY, Mass., Oct. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. announced today expanded philanthropic support for organizations focused on issues around diversity, equity and inclusion. Sun Life will be supporting organizations in Greater Boston and at national levels for initiatives that seek to educate on diversity, further the dialog, and support underrepresented minority groups.

"As we continue to learn more about the systemic issues that perpetuate racial inequity, we are looking at more ways to support various organizations that seek to educate on these issues and bring more opportunities to communities of color," said Ed Milano, vice president of marketing at Sun Life U.S. "We hope to provoke more meaningful discussions among our allies while encouraging action in the communities where we and our clients work and live."

In 2020 Sun Life engaged the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and More Than a Vote to support their "We Got Next" voter education campaign in the months leading up to the election, as well as the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture's Talking About Race online education portal.

Sun Life's 2021 support includes:

• Boston Children's Museum's Our City exhibit, which invites families to discuss and address issues of race, equity, bias and empathy. Sun Life will support media development for the exhibit, including interactive content such as cultural objects, family recipe cards, and shared storytelling.
• The Bridge Program, a new learning and leadership initiative developed by the 7uice Foundation, which was founded by Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown and his family in partnership with the Community Biotechnology Initiative at MIT's Media Lab. The program for 15-17 year-olds from underrepresented communities of color aims to address the urgent need for greater diversity and inclusion in the leadership ranks of science and technology.
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.'s Prepared to Vote outreach efforts, which, for over a decade, have prepared voters for elections by engaging volunteers on Election Day and offering information on voting rights and Black political candidates.
• The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture's annual Speakeasy Evening, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Through this partnership Sun Life employees will have the opportunity next week to hear from museum curators about efforts to transcribe records from the Freedmen's Bureau, a program created in 1865 to assist in post-war reconstruction and help former slaves transition to freedom and citizenship.
• United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley's Board Connection Program with a goal of increasing diversity of non-profit boards.

Sun Life also has several employee-led inclusion networks that work to advance important issues within underrepresented communities, foster employee development, and share cultural activities. These networks, which just announced their community support recipients, include Sun Life Pride, BEA (Black Excellence Alliance), HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leaders & Achievers), BrightWomen, AAHA (Asian American Heritage Association) and DiversAbility.

Sun Life has committed to a new approach to diversity, equity and inclusion over the past year, including the launch of Allies Acting for Change, an employee group serving as an extension of senior leadership, focused on assessing and making recommendations to strengthen DE&I in hiring, career development, and employee education practices. The group's actions have resulted in increased diversity of new candidates and the development of clear performance expectations for inclusive, anti-racist behaviors of people leaders and all employees. To learn more about Sun Life's philanthropic support and initiatives around diversity, equity and inclusion, visit https://www.sunlife.com/us/en/about/

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 June 30, 2021, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.36 trillion. 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 55,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's U.S. portfolio of insurance products and services includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary, supplemental health, 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 contacts:
Devon FernaldSun Life U.S.
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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.