Collectively, the forum represents a quarter
million working Canadians
TORONTO, Dec. 8, 2020 /CNW/ - On November 30, Sun Life Canada brought together 70
presidents, CEOs and C-suite leaders to discuss the mental health
crisis in Canada. In partnership
with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the forum
highlighted the important role of workplaces, and specifically the
role CEOs and presidents play, in supporting the mental health of
employees.
"We were already experiencing a mental health crisis in
Canada. Since the pandemic began,
nearly 60 per cent of Canadians have reported a further decline in
their mental health," said Jacques
Goulet, President, Sun Life Canada and Lumino Health. "As
leaders of some of Canada's
largest workplaces, we have the responsibility to act. We must set
the tone from the top and ensure our organizations are
psychologically safe. The presidents and CEOs in the forum
represent 250,000 Canadian employees. Together, we can build a more
resilient Canada, a critical
component of Canada's pandemic
recovery."
Recent Workplace Survey
While a majority of Canadians
report a decline in their mental health during COVID-19, a recent
survey conducted by Sun Life found only one-third (34 per cent) of
employed Canadians have received additional support or resources
from their employer to help manage their mental, physical or
financial wellness. Of those respondents who have received
additional support, only 68 per cent received mental health
support, 40 per cent received physical health support, and 25 per
cent received financial health support.
Sun Life is pleased to partner with CAMH to elevate mental
health in Canada as a priority.
The partnership includes hosting an annual Business Leader Mental
Health Summit starting in April 2021
where we will be inviting leaders to talk about their progress and
address challenges. Sun Life is also using CAMH's Workplace Mental
Health Playbook for Business Leaders to expand support and
resources for employees.
"Employee mental health is one of the most important issues
facing workplaces today–and it's inspiring to see so many leaders
from Canada's top companies ready
to champion the cause," said Deborah
Gillis, President & CEO, CAMH Foundation. "By stepping
forward to not only address, but to champion mental health in the
workplace, business leaders have the opportunity–and quite frankly,
the responsibility–to bust the stigma and fear that holds too many
Canadian workers back from talking about and getting the help they
need."
About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international
financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and
asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun
Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including
Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong
Kong, the Philippines,
Japan, Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2020, Sun Life had total assets
under management of $1,186 billion.
For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
About CAMH
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(CAMH) is Canada's largest mental
health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the
world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH combines
clinical care, research, education, policy development and health
promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental
health and addiction issues. CAMH is fully affiliated with the
University of Toronto, and is a Pan
American Health Organization/World Health Organization
Collaborating Centre.
Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada