Highlights
- Received "Carbon-neutral business" certification for the third consecutive year
- Issued our first sustainable bond totalling $300 million
- Donated over $8.5 million dollars to various organizations working in social and community support, healthcare, education and environmental fields
QUEBEC CITY, April 11, 2023 /CNW/ - iA Financial Group is proud to announce that its 2022 Sustainability Report is now available online at ia.ca (https://ia.ca/sustainable-development). This report, released in electronic format only, outlines the company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance during the year 2022.
As a financial group, we believe in the importance of ramping up our efforts in sustainable finance. That is why, in 2022, we have strengthened the ESG coordination structure for our investments by appointing an expert in charge of responsible investment. We have also begun analyzing our investment portfolio's greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions and have issued our first sustainable bond totalling $300 million. This achievement follows the publication of our Sustainability Bond Framework.
At the environmental level, specifically in the fight against climate change, 2022 marked the publication of our Climate Change Position Statement, through which we announce our ambition to be, in the future, among the best in our industry in climate change in North America. We believe that the integration of climate change factors into our corporate strategy will support our long-term success as a financial institution.
As such, we evaluate our climate change risks and opportunities on a yearly basis, based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures ("TCFD"). Our 2022 TCFD Report is also available.
Finally, after improving our disclosure and quantification processes for Scope 3 GHG emissions, which include GHG emissions produced through our investments, we published this information in accordance with the GHG Protocol.
iA Financial Group has also continued rolling out its extensive equity, diversity and inclusion program, which notably includes the establishment of employee resource groups for women and for Black and LGBTQ+ communities.
In 2022, we launched our FLEXIBLE work model, Work from Anywhere (WFA). Our approach is based on a hybrid and voluntary model that combines both remote work and work from the office. In this way, we offer our employees the option to choose, every day, where they want to work to be most effective. Not only do we offer flexibility, but we also ensure that our employees have access to advantageous conditions at work—from training and development to workplace mental health programs.
We also gave back to the community, notably through $8.5 million worth of philanthropic contributions to various aid organizations in Canada and the United States.
Lastly, we support our clients by continuing to develop products and services that integrate ESG criteria. In 2022, we launched four new socially responsible funds, bringing our total number of ESG investment funds to 24, and we further equipped our clients to better understand the financial sector.
iA Financial Group is constantly working to develop best practices in governance, whether in terms of Board expertise, risk management, compliance or ethical standards.
For example, each year, we set various efforts in motion to ensure information security. In 2022, the IT training and awareness program has demonstrated continued progress in the safe behaviour of iA Financial Group employees.
Our ambition is to be a company that contributes to the sustainable growth and wellbeing of its clients, employees, partners, investors and communities.
Sustainability is a priority that guides our day-to-day achievements in environmental, social and governance matters, which we demonstrate with the use of the iA Sustainable pictogram.
iA Financial Group is one of the largest insurance and wealth management groups in Canada, with operations in the United States. Founded in 1892, it is an important Canadian public company and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbols IAG (common shares) and IAF (preferred shares).
iA Financial Group is a business name and trademark of iA Financial Corporation Inc. and Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.
SOURCE iA Financial Group
Public Relations, Pierre Picard, Office: 418-684-5000, ext. 101660, Email: [email protected]
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