Canadian insurers are increasingly tying community investments to the same long-term risks that shape their balance sheets, with recent initiatives from Manulife and Westland Insurance illustrating how health and climate priorities are moving to the center of ESG strategy.
Diabetes Canada has launched Aprons in Action presented by Manulife, a national cooking‑challenge fundraiser that aims to raise $1 million for programs, research and advocacy for people living with diabetes. Instead of a traditional walk‑a‑thon, the campaign invites home cooks to create healthy recipes, fundraise in their communities and compete for a chance to cook alongside celebrity chefs at a live gala finale on World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14 in Toronto.
Participants who raise $300 receive Aprons in Action gear and can submit their signature dish, with public voting and expert judging determining the six finalists for the November event.
“I live with type 2 diabetes, so I know how important food is to your health, and I'm honored to be part of Aprons in Action to help others on their diabetes journey through the creativity and power of cooking," Leung said. Laura Syron, president and CEO of Diabetes Canada, noted that with more than four million people diagnosed with diabetes in Canada, “the need for support, education, and research has never been greater.”
For Manulife, the campaign dovetails with its Manulife Longevity Institute, which focuses on research, innovation and partnerships around longer, healthier lives. With diabetes and related conditions driving a significant share of life, health and disability claims, backing a program that promotes healthier eating and disease awareness reinforces the insurer’s prevention narrative and supports its longer‑term risk and product strategy.
“Manulife is proud to support Aprons in Action, an initiative that empowers Canadians to take charge of their health in a creative and engaging way,” said Helena Shimeles, global head of community impact at Manulife. “Through the Manulife Longevity Institute, we are committed to helping communities live longer, healthier lives, and this program is a meaningful extension of that mission.” Funds raised will support Diabetes Canada’s education programs, research and advocacy to improve access to care.
On the P&C side, Westland Insurance has announced a $25,000 donation to Oceana Canada to support ocean‑conservation work linked to FIFA World Cup 2026, including plastic‑pollution prevention, science‑based policy advocacy and scalable reuse systems at venues and fan zones in Toronto and Vancouver. Oceana Canada’s #ReuseForTheWin campaign aims to embed reusable food and beverage solutions at tournament sites and strengthen national policies on single‑use plastics; preliminary modeling suggests reuse could prevent more than two million disposable items, or over 40 tonnes of waste, during the event period.
“We were drawn to Oceana Canada because of its practical, policy‑driven approach to protecting our oceans,” said Cari Watson, executive vice president, client experience and digital, at Westland. Josh Laughren, executive director at Oceana Canada, said the broker’s support will help advance efforts to cut plastic waste and promote reuse at Canadian World Cup venues.
These initiatives point to a more targeted approach to ESG, where community dollars are increasingly directed at behavioral and systemic drivers of key loss trends – chronic disease in life and health, and climate and pollution in P&C – rather than generic sponsorships.
They also provide tangible case studies to reference in discussions with regulators, rating agencies and clients about how insurance capital can support prevention, resilience and policy change, not just post‑loss recovery.
