Initiatives for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the Japanese life insurance industry

At today's meeting of the Board of Directors, the Life Insurance Association of Japan (LIAJ) resolved to revise the Code of Conduct and key initiatives for achieving SDGs in the Japanese life insurance industry as follows.

The LIAJ has been strengthening efforts to address issues indicated by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015 and supporting member companies to promote initiatives for achieving SDGs. Based on the following initiatives, the LIAJ will further promote initiatives for achieving SDGs from the mid- to long-term perspective.

1.Revising the Code of Conduct

To promote initiatives by member companies for achieving SDGs, the LIAJ revised the Code of Conduct, which indicates directions and policies that should be respected by member companies and their officers and employees.

For this revision, the LIAJ has organized the existing initiatives which have been taken by the life insurance industry once again at this time and reflected its results on the Code of Conduct in order to clarify the expected role of the life insurance industry for realizing a sustainable society.

In accordance with the revised Code of Conduct, the life insurance industry as a whole continues to promote initiatives for achieving SDGs.

Attachment 1:Main points of revising the Code of Conduct

2.Key initiatives for achieving SDGs in the Japanese life insurance industry

The LIAJ resolved on key initiatives for achieving SDGs in the Japanese life insurance industry to promote active overall engagement within the industry to meeting the targets listed in the 2030 agenda by clarifying the expectations and roles of the life insurance industry in this context.

Specifically, given the specifications of the industry and future suitability of initiatives, the LIAJ clarified eight key initiatives: 1. Promote a sustainable social security system, 2. Promote financial literacy, 3. Promote consumer-friendly life insurance services, especially for the elderly, 4. Initiatives for extending healthy life expectancy, 5. Promote ESG investments, 6. Actions for addressing money laundering and terrorist financing as well as antisocial forces, 7. Promote the participation of women in the workforce and their career advancement and 8. Human rights measures.

The LIAJ will continue to promote these initiatives as the Japanese life insurance industry from a medium- to long-term perspective in order to realize a sustainable society.

Attachment 2:Key initiatives for achieving SDGs in the Japanese life insurance industry

(The title is as of 16 November, 2018)