Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT...

12
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016

Transcript of Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT...

Page 1: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT2016

Page 2: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

ABOUT EMPIRE LIFE

The Empire Life Insurance Company

(Empire Life) is a proud Canadian company

that has been in business since 1923. We offer

individual and group life and health insurance,

investment and retirement products, including

mutual funds through our wholly-owned

subsidiary Empire Life Investments Inc.

Empire Life is among the top 10 life insurance

companies in Canada1 and is rated A (Excellent)

by A.M. Best Company2. This statement contains

information about Empire Life and Empire Life

Investments Inc. All data is reported for the

financial year ending December 31, 2016.

OUR CORE VALUES

• We are honest and fair and we honour

our commitments to our customers

and to each other.

• We treat each other with respect.

• We hold ourselves and each other

accountable.

OUR VISIONCanada’s most convenient

insurance and investment

company.

OUR MISSIONInsurance & Investments Simple. Fast. Easy.®

EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 20162

1 Based on general fund and segregated fund assets in Canada as at December 31, 2016 as reported in regulatory filings

2 As at May 27, 2016

Page 3: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 3

2016 Community Investment

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

$361,402IN-KIND

$2,640EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERISM

$45,492COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIPS

$71,543CHARITABLE DONATIONS

$241,727

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAMIn 2016, we continued our community investment in four key areas: community well-being, health and medical research, education, and arts and culture.

Financial Contributions by Sector

COMMUNITY

WELL-BEING

57% HEALTH &

MEDICAL RESEARCH

23%EDUCATION

11%ARTS &

CULTURE

9%

Page 4: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE…

“Thank you for your leadership gift towards Hospice Kingston’s The Time is Now

residential hospice campaign. Your compassion and commitment to the philosophy of

hospice care is greatly appreciated. With your continued generosity, we are taking the

important next step to build a residential hospice that will emphasize a human touch for

all of us and the generations to follow. Thank you again for your compassionate support.”

Allen Prowse, Chair, Board of Directors, Hospice Kingston, and

Peter Kingston, Chair, Capital Campaign, Hospice Kingston

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to thank you for your continued and generous

support. You have made such a positive impact on our programs and in the

Kingston community. Thank you!”

Ronda Candy, Executive Director, Martha’s Table

• “

“I’m writing to express my gratitude for your generosity

and long-time commitment to our program. Your belief

in the power of youth and education is truly inspiring.

On behalf of the students, staff and volunteers at

Pathways to Education and Kingston Community Health

Centres, thank you for helping the youth of Kingston

achieve their full potential.”

Quinn Bingham, Vice-President and Chief Development

Officer, Pathways to Education

Page 5: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 5

“Through contributions like yours, our students are being provided with the opportunity

to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes for a lifetime of practice, learning and discovery.

Your gift to the Empire Life Public Health Sciences Fellowship enables our students

to pursue excellence.”

Dr. Richard K. Reznick, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University

“Thank you for your generous contribution to

our 2016 Season as the production sponsor for

Assassinating Thomson. We feel truly honoured and

privileged that you decided to invest in the local

arts community. Know that your support has made

the Playhouse reputation what it is.”

Brett Christopher, General Manager,

Thousand Islands Playhouse

“Thank you for being a part of Community

Rocks and for celebrating International Day

of Persons with Disabilities with us. Know

that your support goes far beyond the

value of the sponsorship. With the help of

people like you, Community Living Toronto

is able to reach out and provide support to

many individuals in need.”

Brad Saunders, CEO,

Community Living TorontoCredit: Louis Thomas Photography

Page 6: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

For 94 years, Empire Life has been helping Canadians and their families achieve financial security.

During that time, we’ve also supported those in need in our community. From donations to

agencies and foundations, to sponsorships of festivals and fundraisers, the funds we provide help

enrich the lives of individuals in communities across Canada and help make our communities

stronger. Here are just a few of the events and organizations we supported in 2016:

INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Pathways to Education – Canada opened its doors

in Kingston in 2010, and Empire Life has been a key

supporter ever since. In 2016, we made a $25,000

donation to the program which helps youth in low-

income communities graduate from high school.

Seventy-four percent of Pathways to Education

students have gone on to post-secondary education.

Girls E-Mentorship, also known as GEM, is a

charitable organization in Toronto that connects

high-achieving diverse young women with

successful professional women. This mentorship

program helps female youth facing multiple barriers

reach their full potential, develop skills for their

future, and engage in influential and beneficial

relationships. Our $10,000 donation will help female

youth emerge as empowered young women and

future leaders.

EDUCATION

Built in 1832, Fort Henry protected the naval

dockyard at Point Frederick and Kingston, a major

point along the supply route between Montreal and

Ottawa. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site

in 2007, it is now a museum and historic site offering

tours, scenic views, musical performances and

precision military demonstrations. Our sponsorship of

the annual Tattoo performance is an opportunity for

Kingstonians and visitors to journey back in time and

experience the excitement of history in modern times.

As the performance sponsor for Assassinating

Thompson at the Thousand Islands Playhouse,

we were delighted to be part of a unique play

that intertwined art, politics, murder and laughter

in a one-man investigation of Canadian icon

and Group of Seven artist Tom Thomson. Visual

artist and performer Bruce Horak regaled the

audience with personal stories that paralleled the

life of Tom Thomson. While he spoke, he painted

a picture of the audience how he saw them—

through his limited 9% vision.

ARTS & CULTURE

EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 20166

Page 7: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

When disaster struck in Fort McMurray, Alberta in May

2016, our employees responded immediately to help

those affected by the tragedy. As fire swept through

the small town, a company-wide fundraiser for the

Canadian Red Cross Alberta Fires Appeal raised more

than $3,300 in individual employee donations, along

with a corporate donation of $10,000.

Community Rocks is the bi-annual fundraiser

for Community Living Toronto, an organization

dedicated to giving people with intellectual

disabilities the freedom to choose where they

live, learn, work and play. We were proud to

sponsor their 2016 rock n’ roll event which

brought together business and community

leaders in Toronto to raise funds and celebrate

individuals with an intellectual disability.

COMMUNITY WELL-BEING

In 2016, we completed a 10-year, $1 million pledge

to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation

Campaign, with much of the funds supporting the

construction of the new Providence Care Hospital.

Opening in the spring of 2017, tremendous care and

thought has gone into creating an environment that

inspires and instills hope, and enhances treatment,

rehabilitation and recovery for patients of the new

facility. With 270 private rooms, plenty of natural light,

outdoor courtyards and rooftop terraces, the hospital

is a warm and comfortable patient-centred approach

to health and mental wellness.

Hospice Kingston’s The Time is Now campaign

is dedicated to providing innovative opportunities

for education and teaching, enhancing local and

regional system approaches, and transforming

how we care for the terminally ill. Our donation will

give community members access to the full range

of healthcare options, while understanding and

respecting that living and dying well helps to create a

healthy culture and a strong community.

HEALTH & MEDICAL RESEARCH

7EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016

Page 8: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

8 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016

EMPLOYEES MAKING A DIFFERENCE

We’re proud that our employees share the same passion and commitment

to helping in the community. Empire Life employees volunteered more than

1,000 hours in 2016, participating in dozens of events, including the United Way

Day of Caring and Success by 6 Children’s Corner, the Big Brothers Big Sisters

Bowl for Kids, the Rose of Hope golf tournament in support of the Cancer Centre

of Southeastern Ontario, and the Big Bike for Heart & Stroke Foundation. We’re

honoured to recognize two of our many employees who helped make a difference

this year during their personal time and on behalf of the company.

Michelle Reynolds, Service Representative

For seven years, Michelle had no idea she had

epilepsy. It was only after a major seizure that she

was finally diagnosed. Michelle believes that long

period of not knowing was in part due to a lack

of public awareness and the stigma surrounding

epilepsy. It was also the reason Michelle decided to

share her struggles and story with others.

“Being able to act as an ambassador with Epilepsy

South Eastern Ontario, and being supported by

Empire Life through various stages—including a

successful brain surgery—have given me so much

positivity. I’m grateful to have such an incredible

work place and fantastic co-workers who are willing

to hear me speak about my experiences, and who

are excited to be part of the epilepsy Pull Together

fundraiser. It has been heart-warming.”

Michelle and her team celebrate their successful firetruck pull at the

Epilepsy South Eastern Ontario Pull Together for Epilepsy fundraiser.

Page 9: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 9

Geoff Gibson, Director, Investment Marketing and Product Development

Geoff’s passion for United Way was ignited in 2009 when he joined our Kingston United Way committee

as a workplace campaign co-chair. It’s no coincidence that it was also the year we crossed the $200,000

mark for money raised. For the next two years, he helped lead the campaign by inspiring his co-workers

to participate and donate.

Once his term as co-chair was over, he was approached by the President of United Way Kingston,

Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) to build their NextGen committee, a group dedicated to getting

the younger generation engaged in community volunteering. Geoff helped build the committee from

the ground up, and was the NextGen Cabinet Chair until October 2012. The launch and first events were

successful, and the committee has continued to attract younger people getting involved and giving back

to the community. Geoff also represented Empire Life on the city-wide campaign cabinet for KFL&A.

When Geoff took on a new opportunity in our Toronto office in 2012, United Way in Oakville got wind of his

NextGen success and recruited him to launch the Oakville GenNext campaign. Geoff was a co-chair until

February 2016 and remained on the campaign cabinet, as well as on Oakville’s city-wide campaign cabinet,

to provide support and advice.

Asked why he has been such a staunch supporter of United Ways across Canada, Geoff says, “United Way

is the most efficient way to donate your time, energy and money. Giving back to the community through

United Way is the easiest way to make a difference in the lives of those around you.”

Geoff received the 2015 Outstanding Campaign Cabinet Volunteer Award

from Jennifer Loker, Director, Resource Development, United Way Oakville.

Page 10: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

10 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016

ProvinceNumber of Employees Full-Time Part-Time

Alberta 6 6 0

British Columbia 19 19 0

Manitoba 3 3 0

New Brunswick 1 1 0

Ontario 662 657 5

Quebec 76 74 2

Saskatchewan 2 2 0

Total 769 762 7

Improving access to our services

We are committed to respecting the dignity and independence of people with disabilities by preventing

and removing barriers to accessibility. As part of our commitment:

• we have policies and procedures to ensure we meet the accessibility requirements under the

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and we apply them across Canada;

• we ensure persons living with disabilities can access areas of our company that are open to the public.

• we have telephone services available to our customers using a relay service;

• our customer service employees are trained on how to communicate with and accommodate

people with various types of disabilities; and,

• we have a feedback process to ensure we meet the accessibility expectations of our customers.

We are making our websites accessible, applying Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A

requirements into new external websites and current external websites that undergo a significant refresh.

All of our employees complete accessibility training so they can help identify, remove and prevent

barriers to accessibility.

For more information about how we are improving access to our services, read our Accessibility Policies.

Employees in Canada (2016)

Page 11: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 11

Taxes by Jurisdiction

Premium Taxes

Income Taxes

Other Taxes

Total Taxes

Newfoundland & Labrador $82 $74 $1 $158

Prince Edward Island $55 $74 $1 $131

Nova Scotia $238 $317 $8 $562

New Brunswick $86 $112 $3 $201

Quebec $8,005 $6,108 $1,328 $15,441

Ontario $7,141 $10,112 $3,711 $20,964

Manitoba $251 $317 $47 $614

Saskatchewan $466 $503 $5 $974

Alberta $1,661 $2,030 - $3,691

British Columbia $1,539 $2,123 $73 $3,735

Yukon $2 - - $2

Northwest Territories $2 - - $2

Nunavut $1 - - $1

Federal - $31,931 $5,393 $37,324

Total Taxes $19,529 $53,701 $10,570 $83,800

Taxes paid (2016, in thousands of dollars)

Page 12: Public Accountability Statement 2016 - Empire Life · 4 EMPIRE LIFE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT 2016 OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WRITE… “Thank you for your leadership gift towards

® Registered trademark of The Empire Life Insurance Company. Policies are issued by The Empire Life Insurance Company.

Contact us

1 877 548-1881

259 King St. East

Kingston, ON K7L 3A8

For more information about our Community Investment program, visit our website or email us at [email protected].

Empire LifeEmpire Life Insurance

@EmpireLife@EmpireLifeIns@EmpireLifeInv

Empire LifeEmpire Life Investments

@EmpireLife

Insurance & Investments – Simple. Fast. Easy.®

www.empire.ca [email protected]