TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2023 /CNW/ - Manulife today announced its appointment to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) ranking in the 93^rd percentile of its GICS^® Industry Group and one of only eight insurers across North America to be included in the index overall. The recognition underscores Manulife's leading sustainable business practices and its proven ability to deliver long-term shareholder value.

The DJSI North America is comprised of sustainability leaders as identified by S&P Global and represents the top 20% of the largest 600 North American publicly-traded companies. The index is a well-recognized standard that measures corporate ESG progress across industries.

"As a global insurer and asset manager we are inherently future-focused and have an innate ability to help manage risk, which is instrumental in our approach to sustainability," said Sarah Chapman, Manulife's Global Chief Sustainability Officer. "Being named to the DJSI North America recognizes our sustainability practices, reporting, and disclosures, and is a testament to our efforts aligned to the three interconnected pillars of our Impact Agenda – empowering sustained health and well-being; driving inclusive economic opportunities; and accelerating a sustainable future."

The organization continues to progress its sustainability strategy with notable initiatives in 2023:

• Strengthening its commitment to reducing emissions by disclosing science-based¹ targets, including an increased ambition to reduce our absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions target from 35% to 40% by 2035, and a combination of sector-specific and asset-class specific interim targets to reduce the General Account's financed emissions as outlined in our 2022 ESG Report published in May 2023.
• Continuing to support its colleagues in their learning and development through the "Fuel Up Fridays" program, which is comprised of one afternoon every month dedicated to upskilling and learning about themes that correspond with global business strategic priorities. Aligned to Earth Month, this year's April Fuel Up Friday afternoon of learning was focused on sustainability to empower employees with a deeper understanding of the organization's sustainability strategy and how to protect the environment to accelerate a sustainable future and ensure business resiliency.
• Embarking on a $1 million partnership with Kiva to help the global crowdfunding microlending platform support entrepreneurs globally and expand its reach in Southeast Asia. Through the partnership, Manulife is helping Kiva build capacity and reach more borrowers in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia, and is further supporting entrepreneurs through the creation of the Manulife Match Fund, which will double individual contributions made through the Kiva platform to help borrowers meet their goals faster.

To learn more about sustainability at Manulife, visit manulife.com/sustainability.

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2022, we had more than 40,000 employees, over 116,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 34 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

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