Aflac, the leader in supplemental insurance sales at U.S. worksites, celebrated its 2018 corporate social responsibility, also known as CSR, accomplishments by unveiling its 2018 CSR Report: "Purpose … with feathers." The comprehensive report highlights the actions and initiatives led by the company's leaders, employees and independent sales agents, who demonstrate Aflac's purpose through their actions.

The report reflects Aflac's commitment to bring value to the community through ethics, diversity, equity, inclusion, philanthropy and the environment. The report recounts the 2018 activities in both the United States and Japan, where the company's products protect more than 50 million people.

"The Aflac 2018 CSR Report celebrates the ways we put our values into action," said Catherine Hernandez-Blades, Aflac's senior vice president and chief environmental, social, governance and communications officer. "Finding the good at Aflac is easy; it's demonstrated at every level of leadership, through our employees, and in our rich history of being fair, ethical, and influential with the people and communities around us. It is the recognition that being a responsible company is our overall business goal, as research clearly shows that companies that do good in the community do better in business. It is also simply the right thing to do."

The 2018 report highlights Aflac's CSR efforts, reflecting on 2018 initiatives, including the inspirational impact of My Special Aflac Duck and the company's ongoing, innovative One Day Pay initiative that enables the payment of eligible claims in a single day.

Also represented in the report is Aflac's strong governance program; our commitment to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce; awards for environmental conservation; and contributions to the treatment and research of childhood cancer. Specific accomplishments include:

A 29% increase in volunteer hours logged by Aflac employees in 2018, compared with 2017.

In 2018, Aflac received ISO 14001:2015 certification in environmental management at its headquarters in Columbus, Georgia.

In 2018, Aflac invested more than $3 million toward the My Special Aflac Duck project. As of August 2019, the company has provided more than 5,000 of these comforting companions to children at more than 220 hospitals in 48 states, free of charge.

With a culture that prioritizes its employees, the 2018 CSR Report also describes the contributions of employees, independent sales agents and a partner, whose efforts represent the Aflac Way of doing business. Special sections of the report include profiles of honored employees, including:

The Aflac Japan All Ribbons Team, who helps fellow employees dealing with cancer access available support resources.

Sharon Baker, operations supervisor, who leads by example through daily actions that everyone can make a difference for our planet.

Carmen Buckner, senior operations analyst, who helps create a culture of respect and inclusion through employee appreciation and camaraderie.

Lindsay Carrick, who advocates for patients as a child life specialist at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Matt Loudermilk, vice president and corporate secretary, who champions and protects what Aflac stands for and knows that integrity is the key to Aflac's success.

Brian Penn, vulnerability management consultant, who helped raise more than $75,000 for a child's family during the child's cancer journey.

Nanette Stark, an independent agent licensed to sell Aflac products, who organizes teambuilding sessions with fellow agents to make and deliver lunches for the homeless.

Tim Wakeman, an independent agent licensed to sell Aflac products, who volunteers to help children impacted by the national opioid crisis at a community center in New Hampshire by cooking meals and helping with homework.

"Now more than ever before, people are turning their attention to the heart and conscience of the corporate world. It's important and it's time," Hernandez-Blades said.

The 2018 Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility Report marks the company's fourth year of dedicated work toward adherence to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the world's most widely used sustainability reporting framework.^** The report also includes the second year of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) reporting. Disclosures that fulfill GRI Standards and UN-SDGs, the latest guidelines, are noted throughout the report.