AFL AFLAC Inc

COLUMBUS, Ga., March 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the company that pays cash benefits fast when you are sick or hurt, today announced that it has been awarded two Communitas Awards for excellence in community service and corporate social responsibility. Winners are recognized for specific programs involving volunteerism, philanthropy, or ethical and sustainable business practices. Nominees are evaluated based on the extent and effectiveness of their programs.

"As a business, we want to be judged not only by the great insurance plans and products we offer, but the positive, lasting impact we have on the community," Aflac Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said. "We are pleased to accept these Communitas Awards and renew our resolve to honor the responsible philanthropic values shared by everyone at our company."

Aflac was honored for its overall commitment to pediatric cancer with a Communitas Award in the Philanthropy category. Since 1995, Aflac has raised and contributed more than $62 million for the treatment and research of childhood cancer, and has made the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta its primary philanthropic cause.

Aflac was also recognized in the Specific Program category for its 2010 campaign with Beads of Courage, a nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic beads for children facing cancer and other serious illnesses. In October, Aflac, along with NASCAR star Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion; Beads of Courage and families from the Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta, unveiled the new Aflac Duck Wingman bead, which is purchased by individuals and given to child patients to remind them that they are never alone in their fight against cancer or serious illness. The campaign garnered national television and online attention, as well as print stories in major U.S. markets with more than 6,000 Wingman beads being purchased for children.

"By recognizing individuals, organizations and companies like Aflac for their volunteerism and socially responsible business practices, we are hoping to not only bring attention to great programs, but are working with community-minded leaders to make the spirit of communitas an essential element of every business," said Ed Dalheim, executive director of AMCP.

Communitas Awards is an outgrowth of the pro bono recognition program of the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, a several-thousand-member group that honors creative achievement and fosters partnerships with charities and community organizations.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For 55 years, Aflac insurance policies have helped provide a safety net and given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance. In Japan, Aflac is the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force. Aflac insurance products provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For four consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies and by Forbes magazine as one of America's Best-Managed Companies in the Insurance category. In 2011, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the thirteenth consecutive year. Also, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the ninth time in 2010. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.

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SOURCE Aflac