Unum releases 2020 Environmental, Social and Governance Report

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 11, 2021) - Unum’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) report highlights the company’s progress in corporate governance, employee engagement, environmental impact and responsible business practices during a year of unprecedented challenges.

“As we look to the future, we’re excited to continue building our sustainability strategy, continuing to enhance our inclusive environment where every voice is heard and leveraging the passion and energy of our more than 10,700 Unum employees around the world,” said Rick McKenney, President and CEO of Unum Group.

Activities and contributions from employees in the U.S., U.K., Ireland and Poland shine a light on how they make a difference at work and in the communities they live.

• Supporting Customers in New Ways – As the global pandemic upended normal life, Unum met customers’ evolving needs as they shifted benefits and workplace landscapes. The company delivered 5.4 million emails to stakeholders, developed a COVID-19 online resource hub, and launched new media channels such as podcasts and webinars to deliver expertise on top-of-mind issues.
• Helping Communities – Unum gave $13 million in corporate and employee contributions to charitable causes. In spite of the pandemic, employees logged 24,646 volunteer hours.
• COVID-19 Response – Unum U.S. donated more than $420,000 to community partners and Unum U.K. funded numerous emergency charitable grants to support smaller charities. Unum Poland provided personal protective equipment to 23 hospitals and medical facilities while supporting food banks with a financial grant.
• Better With You: Roadmap to 2022– Defines Unum’s Inclusion and Diversity journey with these three milestones: increase racial/ethnic representation, create a more inclusive culture and increase manager accountability.
• Carbon footprint – Unum promises to reduce its carbon footprint by 3% and started by recycling 674,036 pounds of paper, saving 9,238,000 gallons of water, and conserved 1,685 cubic yards of landfill space.
• Social Justice Fund – Last June, Unum launched a Social Justice Fund to support organizations working to end racism, discrimination and bias, and to create stronger, more equitable communities. The fund is supported by a mix of employee donations, company matches and an annual corporate gift totaling $500,000.

Consistent with Unum’s view of ESG work as an ongoing journey, the report identifies how the company anticipates and responds to the evolving expectations of its shareholders. These three factors are critical to success and sustainability: growing existing business, expanding reach where the company has expertise, and investing in operations to meet the everchanging needs of customers.

The 2020 Environmental, Social and Governance Report includes Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) that highlight the risks and opportunities companies face as a result of climate change.