Sun Life advances diversity, equity and inclusion with Hive Learning

“Our ambition to be one of the best insurance and asset management companies in the world depends on active and sincere efforts to embrace diverse perspectives. We’re excited to work with Hive Learning to support us in achieving our goal.”
Helena Pagano, Executive Vice-President, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer at Sun Life

Overview

Based in Canada and operating in markets worldwide, Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients.

As part of Sun Life’s Sustainability Report 2019, they’ve looked to understand and embrace all that makes every Sun Life employee and Client unique. With a huge number of employees working across North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia, Sun Life wanted to take active and sincere efforts to embrace the diverse perspectives of their employees.

It’s a common challenge: global organizations like Sun Life who are committed to making progress in diversity and inclusion want to balance sending out one clear message while working with local nuances, too.

A successful pilot in North America and Asia

Sun Life launched an 18-month pilot program of Hive Learning’s digital inclusion program to 1,500 employees in North America and Asia.

Inclusion Works is a peer learning program, branded Kaleidoscope for Sun Life employees. In the pilot, the digital program embedded tiny, but powerful, acts of inclusion into their daily behaviors and routines.

At the end of the pilot:

• 94% felt confident demonstrating inclusive behaviors at work.
• 88% committed to taking action on what they learned.
• 92% found the overall learning experience engaging and valuable.
• 96% believe the program will drive positive change at Sun Life.

After the pilot’s success, Sun Life has chosen to partner with Hive Learning and become the first insurer to launch a digital learning platform to global employees to advance workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

By rolling out Kaleidoscope to all of its employees, Sun Life will be able to set the same expectations of inclusion for everyone and open up conversations that didn’t happen before.

Using the Hive Learning platform, Sun Life is giving underrepresented groups a space that promotes belonging, wherever they are in the world.

Sun Life Financial and Hive Learning win the Gold Award for ‘Best Advance in Diversity and Inclusion Innovation’ at the 2021 Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards