2016 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY REPORT

STANDING UP FOR OUR VALUES

HUMAN COMMITMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT

SOCIAL COMMITMENT100%

ECONOMICCOMMITMENT100%

INDICATORS

Indicators completed

Indicators in progress171

120

151

60

94%

94%

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This report marks the culmination of the Sustainable Development and Societal Responsibility Report (SDSR) launched by SSQ in 2013. Since then, many significant and promising actions have been taken. By putting this plan into action, SSQ has achieved some noteworthy results.In total, 96% of the objectives identified for each of the commitments have been met.

In short:– 15 actions implemented

– 43 gestures made to reach our objectives

– 52 indicators for the gestures made; 50 of which ­have been­completed­and­2­are­in­progress

This report presents the highlights of the SDSR plan, and although the plan is winding up, SSQ definitely wishes to continue its efforts in this area and continue building a better future.

2016 Sustainable Development and Societal Responsibility Report

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The newHealth InSight Indicators80% of group insurance policyholders concerned say that this program helps improve their knowledge of their employees’ global health

100%of policyholders with 500 or more employees say it’s easy to do business with SSQ

89%of our insured members are satisfied or totally satisfied with the overall claim process in general insurance

INNOVATIVE AND EFFICIENT PRODUCTS

AND SERVICES

98%of group insurance plan administrators find that their plan implementation was straightforward

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56%of group insurance participants are registered for online services

100%of worksheets in individual insurance converted into electronic format

Nearly 44% of insureds use direct deposit for their claim reimbursements

More than 50% of group insurance intermediaries have registered for direct deposit

100%of home and auto insurance claims are paperless

Use of online group insurance claims is continually growing: a

56%increase in the last year alone

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

ESSENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT

97%of group insurance groups use online invoicing

100%of requests for donations and sponsorships are made online

140%increase in downloads of the SSQ Mobile Services app

Launch of a brand new

100% digital individual insurance product for those nearing retirement

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$113,759A major fundraising event in 2016, the SSQ Quebec City Marathon collected $113,759 for Accès-Loisirs Québec, an organization whose mission is to make sport, cultural and outdoor recreational activities accessible to low-income families

SeinbioseCompletion of the first year of the Seinbiose research project operated by the Quebec City CHU Foundation (FCHUQ): 17 women who underwent mastectomies received a customized external breast prosthesis thanks to SSQ’s contribution

A GROUP WITH A COMMITMENT TO

THE COMMUNITY

Financial supportto communities shaken by a tragedy: forest fires in Fort McMurray, explosion in downtown Lac-Mégantic and typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

Artists’ Garage SaleParticipation in the 2016 Artists’ Garage Sale, a fundraising event organized for the benefit of the Véro & Louis Foundation whose objective is to build the first house adapted for autistic people age 21 and over

Volunteer half-daysNearly 40 SSQ employees participated in volunteer half-days in 2016 by taking part in activities held at organizations that rely on United Way Centraide

Participation of a team of employees in the Bay Street Hoops basketball tournament to raise funds to make the sport accessible to Toronto youth

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$320,000A record amount of $320,000 raised during the 2016 United Way Centraide campaign, a 12% increase over last year

Elite certification has been maintained

37,000 kmA total of 412 employees divided into 3 teams traveled nearly 37,000 km, or the equivalent of 3 Halifax/Vancouver return trips as part of the HealthWise program

Women of the FutureLaunch of SSQ Women of the Future initiative consisting of a committee that encourages professional development of women through mentoring and skill development

Knitting workshops organized by SSQ employees provided comforting knitted items to sick children at CHU Sainte-Justine hospital

SSQ MarathonsMassive employee turnout at the SSQ Marathon in Longueuil and the SSQ Quebec City Marathon

ADOPTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS:

A PRIORITY

By taking part in the “Young Explorers for a Day” activity, high school students can experience on-the-job training for a day

20%A 20% increase in the capitalization of SSQ Foundation

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Here we recycle!Level 2 certification of the HERE WE RECYCLE! program for the 2525 SSQ and 2505 SSQ office buildings

Green carsIncentives for purchasing environmentally friendly vehicles for the SSQ fleet

Sustainable mobilityAgreements signed with Covoiturage.ca, Communauto and TURO, companies specializing in sustainable mobility and car sharing

Collection of used booksby the SSQ youth service cooperative (CJSSQ)12 beehives

installed on the rooftops of our office buildings in Quebec City, Longueuil and Toronto produced over 120 kg of honey in the summer of 2016

SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION

Prestigious LEED® Gold certificationfor the SSQ Tower in Longueuil

Charging stationsInstallation of electric car charging stations at the SSQ Tower in Longueuil

ÉlectroBACInstallation of ÉlectroBAC at the head office, for the recycling of old electronic devices and offering them a second lease on life

2017

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Transport for a Better LifeSSQ takes part in the Monique-Fitz-Back Foundation’s “Transport for a Better Life” contest to foster young people’s commitment to transportation challenges

SSQ took part in a number of activities and meetings of the Quebec chapter of the PRI network

External audit of SSQ’s investments in Canadian companies, with a focus on the responsible investing aspect

Criteria for responsible investment are now integrated in the selection of external managers for SSQ Funds

Earth HourParticipation in the Earth Hour initiative, demonstrating SSQ’s commitment to climate change issues

RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENTS

Principles for Responsible investment (PRI) are now integrated in the investment analysis and decision-making processes, both for general and segregated fund investments

Information related to our responsible investment practices was added to the report for the PRI Secretariat

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Status: Completed In progress

HUMAN COMMITMENTGESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 1Offer an accessible and high-quality customer experience

Conduct the necessary surveys to measure member and client satisfaction rates with our products and services

• Surveys measuring the satisfaction of our insured members, customers and partners

• Goals of excellence by business sector

Develop and maintain specific training programs for employees who work for the Group’s various customer service departments

• Training new employees within six months

Expand our mobile and online services

• Feasibility study detailing the online needs to add to the overall offering

• Surveys to determine additional needs for online services

• Services with low environmental impact

• New mobile and online services offered

Promote the use of our online services among our insured members

• Use of online services

• Identification of the objectives of online services by business sector

Promote the efficiency and speed of SSQ Mobile Services for submitting claims

• Increased use of SSQ Mobile Services

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GESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 2Encourage employees to become agents of change in sustainable development

Make employees aware of sustainable development principles

• Activities to make employees aware of the SDSR principles

Build a shared company vision through a communications platform dedicated to attracting and retaining employees

• Internal SDSR communications plan and employee mobilization activities

ACTION 3Maintain a high level of employee expertise

Encourage employees to develop skills that help them reach their potential and meet the needs of our customers

• Budget percentage allocated to employee training

Set up a leadership training and professional development program for managers

• Training and professional development programs

Develop an internal communications policy that encourages dialogue between management and employees

• Internal communications policy

Coach employees in change management

• Change management support

ACTION 4Take sustainable development principles into account when managing human capital and offer an engaging work environment

Examine the results of the different organizational surveys and sustainable development principles in programs related to human resources to offer an engaging work environment and become an employer of choice that consistently promotes equality and employee diversity

• Integration of SDSR principles with company business practises

Promote health and support employees

• Health promotion and employee support activities

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SOCIAL COMMITMENTGESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 5Offer products and services that promote responsible behaviours

Promote online claims to insureds

• User rates of online services

Incite and encourage consumers to adopt environmentally friendly behaviours

• Adherence to environmentally responsible products

Increase the quantity of responsible products we offer

• Development of new environmentally responsible products

ACTION 6Integrate environmentally responsible criteria into policies for donations and institutional sponsorships

Build on policies for donations and institutional sponsorships that take the sustainable development efforts of applicants into account

• Integration of SDSR in the policies for donations and  sponsorships

• Promotion of our commitments in the community

Encourage employees to volunteer in order to help communities flourish

• Measures to encourage employee volunteer work

• Promotion of the Corporate Donations Policy and the directive on supporting the volunteer work done by employees

Invest a portion of our net income in donations

• Percentage of net gains is invested in donations

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GESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 7Give back to the community through the SSQ Foundation

Maintain support for the SSQ Foundation

• Percentage of the capitalization of the SSQ Foundation

ACTION 8Invest in the next generation

Support the establishment of a youth services co-op with the children of employees

• Establishment of a youth co-op every year

Consolidate succession planning to ensure the long-lasting success of operations

• Succession planning

Promote the SSQ employer brand as employer of choice

• Promotion of the SSQ employer brand

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ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTGESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 9Apply social and environmental considerations when acquiring goods and services

Apply a policy on responsible goods and services acquisition and a directive on calls for tenders and responsible contracting

• Policy for responsible acquisition of goods and services

Efficiently dispose of residual materials according to the 3R-D that make up the first principle of the Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy: Reduction at the source, Reuse, Recycling and Disposal

• The 3R-D internal management plan for residual materials

ACTION 10Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions

Create an inventory of greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced every year

• Promotion of public transportation and carpooling

Promote alternative means of transportation to driving alone among employees

• Promotion of public transport and carpooling

Include a wider selection of environmentally friendly vehicles in SSQ’s automobile fleet

• Environmental performance of the automobile fleet

Hold carbon-neutral annual meetings (AM)

• Neutral carbon footprint of the annual meeting

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GESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 11Reduce our paper consumption

Encourage group insurance intermediaries to register for online services

• Intermediary registration rates for direct deposit

• Usage rate of e-billing

Implement a new employee awareness program to reduce the use of photocopiers and printers

• Measuring reduction in the use of photocopiers and printers

Replace the My insurance at a glance brochure distributed to group insurance members with an abridged version and an online version

• Production and distribution of an abridged version and an online version

Promote printing on both sides as a standard for all documents

• Percentage of printers capable of printing on both sides

Ensure our Copy Centre maintains its FSC® certification

• FSC® certification of the Copy Centre and a policy on paper supply

ACTION 12Reduce our water and energy consumption

Obtain BOMA BESt© certification for all SSQ-owned buildings to improve their performance and their environmental management

• BOMA BESt© certification

• Objective to reduce water and energy

LEED® certification for all construction projects built by SSQ

• LEED® certification

The Cité Verte project is raising awareness about the prescribed building methods and leading-edge products used in energy and environmental management: sustainable architecture, waste materials management and storm water and wastewater management

• Promotion of Cité Verte’s environmental friendliness

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ECONOMIC COMMITMENTGESTURES INDICATORS

ACTION 13Integrate our sustainable development policy into our business practises

Integrate sustainable development indicators into the policy’s progress report

• Progress report

Present an annual report that integrates the SDSR report

• SDSR section integrated in the annual report

ACTION 14Build on the sustainable and responsible profile of our investments

Promote the policy governing socially responsible investments adopted in 2006 and improved in 2008, by endorsing the PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment) initiative

• Distribution of the policy on socially responsible investments and training of employees involved

Establish targets for change in response to the six PRI principles

• Target the change in response to the six PRI principles

Continue with external audits of the Canadian company investment portfolio, with a focus on the responsible aspect of these investments.

• External audits and communications to the investment committee

ACTION 15Ensure the Company’s sustainability through steady growth and reasonable returns

Determine reasonable and responsible targets for overall company performance

• Financial indicators

BDG207A (2017-04)