Manulife gives 37,000 employees dedicated afternoon to reflect on diversity, followed by thank-you day off

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TORONTO, June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - For the second year in a row, Manulife is giving its entire global workforce, a "Thank You Day" off this Friday, June 18, 2021. In addition, Manulife is dedicating the afternoon of the day before for everyone on its global team to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), in a first-ever Global Afternoon of Reflection and Learning.

The Global Afternoon of Reflection and Learning on June 17 will feature a range of learning activities, including allyship and how to become better advocates for change. Sessions include keynote speeches, fireside chats, and webinars hosted by leaders and various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These include an interactive session with business leader Kimberly Blackwell, hosted by Manulife Global CHRO Pam Kimmet in North America; a Pride and Prejudice research presentation by The Economist in Asia; and various webinars hosted by senior leadership and ERGs across the organization.

"We care deeply about the well-being of everyone on our team, and we know that starts with having an inclusive workplace," said Pam Kimmet, Chief Human Resources Officer, Manulife. "Having expanded our DEI commitments last year, these two important events allow us to take stock of our progress and devote time to gaining a greater appreciation of the many dimensions of diversity.  They also support our team in observing two important days, with Juneteenth in the US and Indigenous People's Day in Canada."

One year ago, Manulife declared its five-year Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) recruitment and leadership goals in North America. Since that time, the company:

•     Achieved fifty-two per cent of new graduate hiring as BIPOC talent in 2020, double the goal set a year earlier.

•     Launched a new bursary program for Indigenous Students at Wilfrid Laurier University as well as at Seneca College which also offers internships for Indigenous students.

•     Joined the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

•     Created Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) interview guides for hiring managers.

•     Hired 36 high school students through John Hancock's (a subsidiary of Manulife) Dr. Martin Luther King (MLK) Scholars Program for summer 2021. Six former MLK Scholars are also returning to the company as college interns and an additional 570 roles were facilitated at nonprofits.

•     Expanded school recruitment, with a focus on diverse colleges and universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the US.

•     Launched two new partnerships specific to its new grad hiring, ICON Talent Partners and ONYX Initiative, with whom it will be welcoming new graduate hires for summer 2021.

•     Partnered with Accenture to launch two learning platforms – Inclusive Leadership and All Against Racism – globally for 3,500 leaders.  Additionally, members of the executive leadership team currently have performance goals linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion, employee engagement, and leadership accountability.

"I'm excited about the progress Manulife has made on its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts," said Michelle Taylor-Jones, Vice President, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Manulife. "While there is still more to be done, our accomplishments in this first year demonstrate that we are taking action and holding ourselves accountable in both the short-term, as well as over the long-term. As a global organization, Manulife is committed to fostering an environment where all employees can truly thrive and feel a strong sense of belonging."

Stay updated on DEI at Manulife by visiting: manulife.com/en/careers/diversity-equity-inclusion

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across our offices in Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and our global wealth and asset management segment, Manulife Investment Management, serves individuals, institutions and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2020, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 118,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 30 million customers. As of March 31, 2021, we had CAD$1.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $31.3 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 155 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation