Manulife’s inaugural global Impact Week brings longevity commitment to life through social connection and purpose-driven community action
Thousands of colleagues mobilized in support of local charities, exemplifying Manulife’s strong winning team and culture
TORONTO, BOSTON and HONG KONG, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Manulife hosted its inaugural Impact Week, a volunteer initiative designed to strengthen well-being, build social connection, and unite teams through purpose-driven community action.
From April 27 to May 1 in North America, and April 27 to May 8 across Asia, colleagues mobilized to support community partners focused on health and well-being, financial resilience, food security, education and additional causes linked to longevity. Manulife offers its 37,000 colleagues an annual paid Volunteer Day benefit, and Impact Week provided a globally-aligned opportunity for colleagues to use that benefit and volunteer together.
“We have a long history of community stewardship at Manulife, and Impact Week reflects our continued commitment to our communities around the world,” said Phil Witherington, President and CEO, Manulife. “Strengthening our winning team and culture and empowering health, wealth, and longevity are two of our strategic priorities, and volunteering is a powerful way to advance both, by deepening connection, building belonging, and turning our values into action. I’m proud of Team Manulife this week for getting outside with one another and capturing the scale of our global footprint to make a real difference.”
Results and Highlights from Impact Week 2026
During Impact Week:
- 21,724 volunteer hours were logged globally, with community impact continuing beyond the week
- 234 volunteer activities were completed across 22 communities
Volunteering: A Longevity Driver
Impact Week reflects Manulife’s commitment to longevity, translating insights on connection and purpose into real‑world impact while reinforcing the role volunteering plays in well-being and quality of life. Research shows positive effects of volunteering include:
- Longer, healthier lives, including lower blood pressure, improved physical health and reduced mortalityi.
- Better mental health, with increased purpose and connection and reduced stress, anxiety and depressionii.
- Stronger cognitive health, including slower cognitive decline and improved social connectioniii.
“Longevity isn’t only influenced by physical and financial well-being — it’s shaped by how we live and connect,” said Karen Leggett, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Manulife. “Volunteering builds purpose, social connection, and resilience — factors linked to longer, healthier lives. Impact Week gives our colleagues the opportunity to serve our communities while also investing in their own longevity.”
Manulife Colleagues Driving Global Impact Through Local Action
A hallmark of Impact Week was its flexibility, which helped strengthen connection across teams, bringing colleagues together around shared purpose and reinforcing a culture of inclusion. Alongside curated volunteer opportunities, teams designed their own initiatives through Team Grants, which enabled groups of 10 or more to support non-profit partners with funding and hands‑on effort.
“Impact Week created space for colleagues to have dedicated time to come together and make a difference in their communities,” said Pragashini Fox, Chief People Officer, Manulife. “By offering a global Volunteer Day and empowering teams to lead local initiatives, we’re strengthening connection, belonging, and a shared sense of purpose across Manulife. When colleagues come together in service, it builds the connections that underpin strong, inclusive teams.”
Manulife’s Legacy of Community Stewardship
Impact Week continues a long tradition of community involvement at Manulife. Since 1888, when the company donated its first ambulance to help improve community health, Manulife has continued to evolve how it contributes to stronger communities, recognizing that wellbeing includes not only physical health, but also the purpose and connection that come from showing up for others.
Impact Week aligns closely with the work of the Manulife Longevity Institute, a global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform that will help people thrive at every age. Learn more about Manulife’s Longevity research and insights at: Manulife.com/longevity.
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Anchored in our ambition to be the number one choice for customers, we operate as Manulife across Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, providing financial advice, insurance and health solutions for individuals, groups and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, we offer global investment solutions, financial advice, and retirement plan services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2025, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 106,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 37 million customers with operations across 25 markets globally. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.
About Manulife Longevity Institute
The Manulife Longevity Institute is a global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform to drive action that can help people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives. Underpinned by a $350 million signature commitment, its focus is on helping people extend their healthy years, promoting greater financial resilience for all. As a global insurer, retirement plan provider, and asset manager, Manulife is uniquely placed to help lead this change. The Institute’s work will support Manulife’s Impact Agenda strategy by investing in organizations that are growing the longevity economy, convening research collaborations with leading academic institutions and think tanks, and producing thought leadership to advance awareness and action on the issues impacting populations as they age. The Institute will be known as the John Hancock Longevity Institute in the United States. The actions of the Institute will be guided by a Steering Committee of members of Manulife’s Executive and Global Leadership Teams and in partnership with a robust ecosystem of partners and experts who champion longevity across Canada, Asia, and the US. Canada, Asia, and the US.
For more information, please visit Manulife.com/Longevity.
Media contact
Manulife:
Emily English
emily_english@manulife.ca
647-544-2800
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i Psychology and Aging: A prospective study of volunteerism and hypertension risk in older adults |
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ii Mayo Clinic Health System findings on reduced stress and improved mental health |
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iii Social Science & Medicine: Helping behaviors and cognitive function in later life |
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