Guided by its commitment to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, foster safe spaces, and empower people from all walks of life, the Philippine arm of global life insurer Manulife will hold “Becoming Better Allies To Each Other,” a free webinar, on September 10, 2021, at 8:00 p.m.

The webinar will be a panel discussion featuring actress, volunteer and women’s rights advocate Angel Locsin; actor, musician and responsible parenting ally Ian Veneracion; UNESCO Global Champion for Inclusive Education, Special Olympics Ambassador & International Global Messenger and Down Syndrome advocate Brina Kei Maxino; Board President of the Youth for Mental Health Coalition Dr. RJ Naguit; and journalist and LGBTQIA+ member G3 San Diego, who will also moderate the discussion.

“Becoming Better Allies To Each Other,” the latest installment in Manulife’s webinar series that started in 2020, will focus on the importance of becoming an ally by rethinking and avoiding stereotypes, unconscious bias, and gender-based microaggressions, and promoting mental wellness in our communities.

“Through this webinar, we hope to harness the power of allyship that truly embraces diversity, equity and inclusion, amplifies more voices for equality, and contributes to creating more safe spaces within our communities,” said Melissa Henson, Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Philippines. “As a company that believes in the value of sharing our humanity, we look forward to sparking important conversations and hearing relevant insights from our guest panelists who will share real stories of struggles and triumphs, so we can learn to be better allies and lift each other up every day.”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is an essential pillar in Manulife’s operations across all markets where it is present. Globally, for two consecutive years, Manulife has been named to the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, which tracks the performance of companies in 44 countries and regions across 50 different industries. Companies included in the index are committed to disclose their efforts to support gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.

Last year, Manulife Philippines was also recognized by the UN Women 2020 Asia-Pacific Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards as one of the most gender-inclusive workplaces in the country — and was the only insurer to be honored in the inaugural awards. Most recently, Manulife also allied with worldwide racial and social justice movements by holding its first-ever Global Afternoon of Reflection and Learning, where Manulife’s entire global workforce dedicated a whole afternoon of meaningful discussions to understand the complex social issues that we are encountering today. Manulife also provided its employees extra days off to focus on their mental health and well-being amid the pandemic.

“We are inspired by the progress we have made in advancing equality in Manulife, but we recognize there is much more to be done, both within our organization and beyond. Through these initiatives, we reinforce our commitment to continue to listen, learn and take meaningful action, so that everyone can truly feel heard, respected, and included,” Henson added.

To join the webinar, register at manulife.pub/BecomingBetterAllies.