Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site in the United States, is ranked No. 9 in Newsweek's 2015 Green Rankings for the U.S. 500 and No. 16 for the Global 500. The U.S. 500 consists of the 500 largest publicly traded companies headquartered in the U.S. by market capitalization as of December 31, 2014. The Global 500 consists of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the world by market capitalization as of December 31, 2014.

"We are extremely proud of this recognition from Newsweek, as we understand our responsibility to minimize our impact on the environment," Aflac Vice President and Employee Green Committee Chairman Alfred Blackmar said. "Being a conscientious member of our ecosystem entails a company-wide effort to be responsible and accountable. From the board of directors to the newest members of our organization, we strive to be a leading example of sustainability in our community."

Aflac maintains an employee-led Green Committee as well as a board-level Sustainability Committee, both of which oversee the company's overall sustainability program called Aflac SmartGreen. Aflac's philosophy includes five key areas: Business Operations, Facilities Management, Waste Management, Employee Engagement, and Strategic Sourcing and Procurement. In 2014, Aflac became the first insurance company in the United States to be ISO 50001 Energy Management System registered.

According to Newsweek, the data for its rankings is obtained from primary sources, including annual reports, audited financial statements, proxy statements and sustainability reports. Secondary data is obtained from HIP Investor, Bloomberg and the CDP. All companies are contacted for data verification once all available items of data have been obtained.

The 2015 Newsweek Green Rankings measure the environmental performance of large public companies using eight clearly defined key performance indicators. The methodology is clear and rules-based, and the process meets the test of being replicable by a third party.