Aflac, a leading provider of supplemental insurance in the U.S., announced today that the company has been ranked No. 15 in the 2021 American Innovation Index™ (Aii) and No. 1 in the life and disability insurance category.

The Aii is a joint project with Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business and the Norwegian School of Economics and is unique in that it measures innovation from the customer's point of view rather than relying on expert opinions that bypass what customers actually experience, according to the Aii website. This is the fourth time Aflac has been named to the prestigious list.

Aflac also ranked No. 11 in the Social Innovation Index™ (Sii), once again coming in at No. 1 in the life and disability insurance category. The Sii measures a company's ability to create positive social and environmental change and the degree to which it embodies responsible business.

Since 2018, Aflac has distributed more than 12,000 of its award-winning My Special Aflac Ducks^® to children in the United States, Japan and Northern Ireland. The innovative robotic duck is specifically designed to address the needs of children facing cancer and includes an interactive app that children can use to conduct medical play. Beginning in early 2022, Aflac will expand its successful My Special Aflac Duck program to children with sickle cell disease. The comforting companion will be updated with new accessories to reflect the specific needs of children suffering the inherited blood disease that disproportionately affects the African American community.

"As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that the state of work and life has changed. It is essential that companies like Aflac adapt and innovate in order to serve our customers, generate revenues, provide great jobs for our employees and make meaningful contributions to the community," said Aflac U.S. President Teresa White. "We've adopted new technologies and innovative approaches that have enabled us to work more colloboratively – driving us forward as we seek to emerge from the global pandemic stronger than ever. This recognition from the American Innovation Index is a testament to the hard work and innovative approach driving how we serve to our customers, stakeholders and valued employees."

The American Innovation Index is a multi-year research initiative that scores and ranks U.S. companies on its "innovation" in delivering products and services and "social innovation" in benefiting society and the environment. Companies who invest in customer-perceived innovation see the benefit to their bottom line.

"The pandemic continues to challenge companies to adapt their business models at a faster rate than in normal times," said Lerzan Aksoy, Ph.D., professor of marketing at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business. "The American Innovation Index recognizes the companies with the highest innovation index scores based on customer ratings. The results show that customers are noticing the speed of innovation by top companies in response to these turbulent times."

For more information about the Aii and Sii, including a full list of company rankings, visit www.americaninnovationindex.com