Great-West Life national sponsor of Pollution Probe's new Healthy Communities Campaign

Campaign makes the connection between environment, personal health, builds on commitment to well-being detailed in 2014 Public Accountability Statement

WINNIPEG, May 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Great-West Life is contributing $600,000 to help Pollution Probe develop and implement its new Healthy Communities Campaign, which has a focus on:

• Ensuring children can breathe clean air, consume safe food and water, and are protected from environmental contaminants.
• Implementing policies and programs to prevent harmful exposure.
• Positioning Canada as a leader in children's environmental health.

"Public health and environmental stewardship are merging into a single focus," said Paul Mahon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Great-West Life. "Our support for this initiative is a natural fit with our business activities and our values, and an important new way our organization and staff can engage to build healthy communities and personal well-being."

Pollution Probe, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Canadians through public engagement, policy change and resources, will launch the Healthy Communities Campaign in October. Businesses, organizations and individuals across Canada will be encouraged to join this campaign for a healthier future.

Great-West Life releases 2014 Public Accountability Statement
The Healthy Communities campaign follows the release of Great-West Life's 2014 Public Accountability Statement, titled Commitment to well-being.

"The report tells the story of our long-term commitment to the well-being of customers, staff, the environment and communities," said Mahon. "While the activities featured focus on 2014, the spirit and the values they reflect are an enduring part of our organization."

Among highlights in its Public Accountability Statement, Great-West Life:

• Reported a 98B CDP score for 2014 and a 26.5% reduction in water consumption at its corporate campuses between 2007 and 2014.
• Engaged with over 900 community stakeholders across Canada, contributing $11.9 million in support of financial literacy programming, mental health resources, and social services through United Way, and many more priorities in communities.
• Recognized the generosity of staff and distribution associates in raising more than $2.1 million for charities through corporate teams and workplace campaigns.

View and download Commitment to well-being on the Great-West Life website.

About Great-West Life
Great-West Life, together with London Life and Canada Life, serves the financial security needs of more than 12 million people across Canada. Responsible and ethical management is an intrinsic value of the companies and is essential to long-term profitability and value creation. As an Imagine Caring Company supporting the principles of corporate citizenship and benchmarks for community investment established by Imagine Canada, the companies donate a minimum of one per cent of average pre-tax profits to non-profit, charitable and community organizations each year.

Learn more about the organization's corporate social responsibility.

Find Great-West Life on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.

SOURCE Great-West Life Assurance Company

Image with caption: "Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life release 2014 Public Accountability Statement (CNW Group/Great-West Life Assurance Company) Under image: Report profiles contributions to the well-being of Canadians and their communities (CNW Group/Great-West Life Assurance Company)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150505_C5883_PHOTO_EN_16172.jpg

Marlene Klassen, APR, Assistant Vice-President, Communication Services, 204.946.7705