From Stigma to Support: Empowering Women in the Workplace

From Stigma to Support: Empowering Women in the Workplace

• 60% of working women believe health issues around menstruation, menopause and reproductive health could affect their career advancement
• 10% of working women have left their job or were planning to because of menopausal symptoms

TORONTO, March 5, 2026 /CNW/ - Sun Life today announces another step towards comprehensive support for women's health in the workplace with the launch of Dialogue's menopause care offering. For Sun Life plan members and dependents with Lumino Health Virtual Care this enhancement provides access to:

• Personalized care plans and educational resources: creation of a comprehensive care plan that considers various treatment paths, including the prescription of menopause hormone therapy if applicable.
• An in-house team of multidisciplinary clinicians trained in women's health: providing timely access to Dialogue's care team who have received additional training on how to guide those going through their menopause journey within days.
• Coaching and navigation support: ongoing follow-ups available to adjust the care plan as needed and support menopause symptom reduction.

"We've seen that by raising awareness and making small but meaningful changes, workplaces can be powerful allies in helping women thrive through every stage of their health journey," said Erin Crump, Vice-President, Market Development, Sun Life Health. "This new menopause care offering is another step in helping women live healthier lives."

As the workplace landscape shifts and support for women's health grows, creating an inclusive environment where women feel comfortable discussing their health needs is essential. Equally important is pairing inclusion with accessible tools and resources.

In a recent study, Sun Life found that more than half (60 per cent) of working women believed that health issues around menstruation, menopause and reproductive health could impact their career advancement but only one-third (37 per cent) felt their employer provided adequate resources and supports for their health needs. There is work to be done to break down stigma and help connect employees with available resources and benefits, to help organizations continue demonstrating that women's health matters.

Sun Life has an extensive history of supporting women in the workplace, including being the first major insurance company in Canada to launch a Family Building benefit, which includes Surrogacy and Adoption coverage.

Sun Life also provides employers, plan members and communities with a range of solutions, services and supports designed to address women's health including:

• Bridging the gap through community impact 
  • In 2025, Sun Life launched a Community Impact program to provide 10,000 program participants with no-cost access to healthcare through Dialogue. Sun Life also contributed $500,000 in funding to support community-led programming. The Community Impact program is part of Sun Life's global sustainability plan and broader Bridges Initiative which aims to address the needs of underserved groups in local communities through new product and service innovations, philanthropy, advocacy and thought leadership.
• Women's health toolkit
  • In 2025, Sun Life launched a toolkit as a go-to resource for employers. It includes research, best practices, and products and solutions specific to women's health.
• Closing the menopause gap
  • In 2022, Sun Life led the way with breaking stigma around menopause and its impact on workplaces in Canada. Bridging to a partnership with the Menopause Foundation of Canada, Sun Life was the first Canadian organization to sign on to the Menopause Works Here campaign.
  • Sun Life also received Catalyst's first-ever 2025 Breakout Program Award and launched a menopause guide sharing helpful resources and tips for navigating this important life stage as an employer supporting women.
• Moving the needle on inclusion in the workplace
  • In 2019, Sun Life was one of the first to lead the industry in launching a Gender Affirmation product, an industry first, supporting the health of transgender individuals.
  • Sun Life also launched their benefits inclusivity playbook helping plan sponsors understand how to build more inclusive plans and build awareness of the supports available within them.  
• The health and wealth link
  • There is an important connection between wealth and health which is even more critical for women – they retire with 30 per cent less wealth and spend 25 per cent more time in poor health.
  • Sun Life also released a new report on Women and Wealth revealing that women are systemically underutilizing workplace savings plans at every income level and career stage. However, with access to digital planning tools and professional advice the gender gap in workplace plan maximization doesn't just narrow – it reverses.

To learn more about Sun Life's support for a healthier future for women, click here.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2025, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.60 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. 

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars

To contact Sun Life media relations, please emailMedia.Relations@sunlife.com

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.