Skip to main content Skip to notification content
Back

Download the 2023 Sustainability Report

Governance and disclosures

Oversight of our ESG framework is part of the mandate of our Board of Directors’ Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee (CGNC). The CGNC reviews the progress made on our sustainability strategy and stays informed of ESG trends, risks, and opportunities through management engagement and reporting. As of March 5, 2024, members of the CGNC include the Chair of the Board and five other independent Board members. 

Board members gain ESG experience through ongoing education sessions and reports on ESG strategy, trends, risks, and opportunities and are encouraged to attend sessions on ESG matters at meetings of the CGNC. In addition to these regular internal sessions, members of the CGNC participate in at least one externally facilitated ESG-related education session every two years. The sessions may be external courses or externally facilitated sessions tailored to cover issues relevant to Manulife and open to all Board members.

The CGNC’s oversight of our ESG framework complements the work of the Executive Sustainability Council (ESC). The ESC consists of our Global Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) along with nine members of our Executive Leadership Team (ELT), including our Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Chair position, currently held by our Global Chief Marketing Officer, is held on a two-year rotational basis. The ESC meets monthly and is responsible for establishing the enterprise’s sustainability ambition, guiding the development and execution of the sustainability strategy, and providing recommendations and direction on matters related to ESG. In addition to the ESC, we have business segment level committees that execute asset-class-specific sustainability objectives. 

The CSO chairs Manulife’s ESG Centre of Expertise (CoE), which consists of corporate function and business unit sustainability leads tasked with integrating sustainability into our business practices. This group’s responsibilities include leading the development and implementation of the sustainability strategy. Additionally, the CoE ensures integration of sustainability into business unit strategies, policies, and procedures. The CoE also shares information, builds knowledge across functions and business units, advises on sustainability matters, and provides support and capacity building to business units.  

Manulife’s ESG Leaders Group consists of senior leaders from multiple businesses and functional areas who are accountable for driving change and progress on our Impact Agenda and broader ESG performance. This body meets monthly to discuss the implementation of new practices and emerging industry trends. 

Manulife’s Global Climate Change Taskforce consists of representatives from multiple businesses and functional areas. It drives the development of the climate strategy, risk management activities on climate-related matters, performance tracking, and disclosures. The Climate Change Taskforce supports execution of Manulife’s Climate Action Plan and includes business segment representation. 

Manulife is a Member of Several Global Sustainability Networks

To continue our work to protect and preserve the environment, support health and well-being, and drive inclusive economic opportunity in the communities where we live and work, we collaborate with a number of sustainability-focused organizations. Our strategy is to work together with those from diverse backgrounds and in different industries to learn, upskill, contribute and build capacity.

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Manulife has been a supporter of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) since 2017 and are committed to adopting and aligning our disclosures to the TCFD recommendations.

Climate Action 100+. In 2017, Manulife Investment Management was a founding member of Climate Action 100+.

Accounting4Sustainability (A4S) CFO Leadership Network. Manulife is a founding member, and our Chief Financial Officer is an active participant on the A4S CFO Leadership Network Canadian Chapter.

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). Manulife Investment Management has been a signatory since 2015 and is an active member of various working groups, including the Infrastructure Advisory Committee, Listed Equity Advisory Committee, Stewardship Initiative on Nature Signatory Advisory Committee, and Real Estate Advisory Committee. Our annual submission to the PRI reports on Manulife Investment Management’s activities and progress in implementing the PRI’s principles according to the PRI’s reporting framework.

Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics Initiative. Led by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics initiative promotes alignment among existing ESG frameworks and establishes a set of metrics that enhances comparability and consistency.

United Nations Global Compact. In 2022, Manulife became a signatory of the UN Global Compact, a non-binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and to report on the implementation.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Manulife Investment Management has been a member since 2019.

ESG Data Convergence Initiative. Manulife Investment Management supports and participates in this initiative, and we have aligned our annual reporting to this initiative for our Private Equity and Credit, and Infrastructure businesses.

The Canadian Sustainability Standards Board. Manulife Investment Management is a member of The Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB) which works with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to support the uptake of ISSB standards in Canada, highlight key issues for the Canadian context, and facilitate interoperability between ISSB standards and any forthcoming CSSB standards.

The International Sustainability Standards Board. Manulife has been a member of the ISSB Investor Advisory Group since 2019 and became a member of the ISSB Technical Reference Group in 2022. We continue to monitor the evolution of the standards and we may evolve our reporting as new standards materialize.

The following are our Sustainability related policies and position statements that guide our work:

Environmental Risk Policy

Climate Change Statement

Global Human Rights Statement

Modern Slavery Act Statement

Sustainable Bond Framework

Global Health and Safety Policy

Global Tax Strategy

Vendor Code of Conduct

Discrimination, Harassment and Workplace Violence Policy

General Account Thermal Coal Policy

General Account ESG Investment Guidelines

Conduct Risk Framework Policy Statement

Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing and Sanctions Statement

AI Principles

 

Cluster Munition Policy

Manulife will not knowingly make direct investments in companies that manufacture cluster munitions where we have discretion to do so. This policy applies to policyholder funds (Manulife’s “General Account” funds) and third-party client funds of Manulife Investment Management. This policy does not apply to investments where we do not have investment discretion such as index investments, unaffiliated fund mandates and client-directed managed accounts.

Manulife uses an independent third party to maintain an exclusion list of companies that manufacture cluster munitions. The exclusion list is updated on a quarterly basis.

In 2023, Manulife conducted a materiality assessment as means to ensure our sustainability strategy remains current, accurate, reflective, and relevant in relation to our businesses and stakeholder groups. A range of stakeholders were engaged to determine which topics are material, further ensuring that these sustainability matters remain priority to the business, and aligned to stakeholder needs.

Our approach to identify material topics take into account a double materiality perspective; the potential impact on Manulife (i.e. the potential risks and opportunities these topics may have on our business), and the degree to which Manulife's business have the potential to have an impact, externally (i.e. on the economy, environment, and/or society).

The assessment enabled us to obtain meaningful insights into our material sustainability matters, while also facilitating continuous engagement with our stakeholders. The results derived from our stakeholder engagement process is reflected in the following matrix, which prioritizes the material matters based on their level of importance. The final outcome from our materiality assessment will be validated and approved by Manulife's Executive Sustainability Council, before it is shared with the Board.

Looking ahead, we will be refreshing our materiality assessment on a biennial basis, reflecting best practices and expectations from stakeholders.

Materiality Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement

The following table identifies our key stakeholder groups, how we typically engage with them, and their primary topics of interest, as identified through the materiality assessment and our ongoing stakeholder interactions.

 

Stakeholder group
Ways we engage

Consumers/
customers

  • Digital products such as website and apps
  • Net Promoter System
  • In-person working sessions
  • Human-centred design
  • Call centres
  • Financial services professionals

Colleagues

  • Annual global employee engagement survey
  • Annual mid-year engagement action check-in survey
  • AskHR – Online HR resource
  • MFCentral – global colleague intranet and resource centre
  • Executive led Town Halls and Ask Me Anything sessions
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion events
  • Employee resource groups
  • Online internal community forums
  • Fuel Up Fridays – afternoon of second Friday on each month is dedicated to learning
  • Wellness events and webinars
  • Podium – online recognition platform
  • Pursuit – online learning platform
  • Monthly newsletter for leaders 
  • Special in-person Events – celebrations and social events at our different office locations 
  • MFTVs – TV screens at our major locations
  • New Joiner Experience – how we welcome and support our newest team members 
  • Stars of Excellence – annual colleague recognition program
  • Giving Campaign – annual campaign to encourage colleagues to give back to our communities 
  • Acts of Kindness – each year colleagues received the equivalent of $50 CAD to perform an act of kindness in their communities

Shareholders/
investors

  • Shareholder engagement
  • Annual meeting
  • Investor events and presentations
  • Investor Day
  • Webcasts
  • Investor Relations website
  • Annual Report and Management Information Circular
  • Meetings, phone calls, and e-mail correspondence
  • Quarterly earnings results and earnings calls

Regulators

  • Mandatory local and regional reporting requirements
  • Voluntary reporting and engagement on key issues
  • Questionnaires

Industry associations

  • Engagement with and through industry associations to work on key issues
  • Questionnaires for industry research
  • Receive updates from industry associations
  • Participate on committees and working groups

Civil society/

NGOs

  • Ongoing dialogue with local and regional non-governmental organizations
  • Partnerships
  • Industry working groups
  • Funding research projects
  • Conferences and forums

Suppliers/

Vendors

  • Services and Technology
  • RFX: Requests for Proposals, Information, and Quotes
  • Contractual engagements
  • Governance reviews
  • Events and forum
  • 3rd Party Vendor Risk Assessment

Communities

  • Philanthropic partnerships
  • Sponsorship of community events
  • Volunteerism
  • Employee giving and corporate match programs

In early 2019, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), oversight was added to the charter of the Board’s Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. The Committee reviews our sustainability strategy progress and stays informed of ESG trends, risks and opportunities through management reporting. Members of the Committee include the Board Chair and five independent Board members. 

The Committee’s oversight of ESG complements the work of the Executive Sustainability Council (ESC). The ESC, which consists of eight members of our executive leadership team, is responsible for establishing the enterprise’s sustainability ambition, guiding the development of the sustainability strategy and providing recommendations and direction on matters related to sustainability. In addition to the ESC, we have a subsidiary-specific committee that executes asset class specific sustainability objectives.

 

The following are our Sustainability related policies and position statements that guide our work:

Sustainability Related Policy Chart
Environmental Policy
Climate Change Statement
Global Human Rights Statement
Sustainable Bond Framework

Global Health and Safety Policy

Global Tax Strategy

 

Cluster Munition Policy

Manulife will not knowingly make direct investments in companies that manufacture cluster munitions where we have discretion to do so. This policy applies to policyholder funds (Manulife’s “General Account” funds) and third-party client funds of Manulife Investment Management. This policy does not apply to investments where we do not have investment discretion such as index investments, unaffiliated fund mandates and client-directed managed accounts.

Manulife uses an independent third party to maintain an exclusion list of companies that manufacture cluster munitions. The exclusion list is updated on a quarterly basis.