Corporate Responsibility

MetLife is proud of the groundbreaking work the Foundation is doing to help the two billion people around the world who live outside the financial mainstream acquire the tools they need to build better, more secure lives. At the same time, the Foundation continues to honor MetLife’s longstanding commitment to the communities where we do business through support for arts and cultural organizations, health research education and community development.

Steven A. Kandarian - Chairman, President & CEO of MetLife, Inc.

MetLife's Corporate Responsibility Efforts

Building on our nearly 150 year legacy of excellence, MetLife is committed to ensuring a future in which we can continue helping people, families and communities around the world get the most out of life. Our success depends on securing the trust of our customers and advancing stability in the communities we serve.

Investing for Impact: We define Impact Investments as those that generate social and/or environmental benefits while also providing economic returns.

Green Investments: MetLife is committed to sound environmental stewardship, demonstrated by consistent investment in green building and renewable energy opportunities.

Investing in Infrastructure: MetLife’s infrastructure debt portfolio includes assets that provide essential services, such as airports, ports, roads, pipelines, transmission lines and power generation, including renewable energy investments in utility-scale solar and wind power plants. MetLife’s investments in renewable energy support the construction and long-term operation of power plants that offset carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, while helping to meet renewable energy targets set by local governments.

MetLife Foundation: Founded in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. While financial inclusion is our global focus, we are also proud to sponsor initiatives in other philanthropic areas. Our impact expands beyond the financial health of our communities to support for medical research, arts and cultural institutions, disaster relief and civic initiatives. The Foundation remains committed to being a positive force in every community where we work.

Key Highlights:

  • Municipal bond investments of $15.9 billion support infrastructure, education, community health and affordable housing initiatives.

  • Green investments of $9.7 billion include ownership stakes in 37 wind and solar farms, equity stakes in 48 LEED-certified properties and $3 billion in renewable energy projects.

  • Infrastructure investments of $7.8 billion provide essential services, such as airports, roads, ports, pipelines, transmission lines and power.

  • Community and affordable housing investments of $1.6 billion provide significant and tangible benefit to projects involving affordable housing, community facilities and other transactions that serve low-income people and communities.

For more about MetLife’s commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen visit https://www.metlife.com/about/corporate-responsibility/index.html

To view highlights from MetLife’s most recent corporate responsibility report visit https://www.metlife.com/content/dam/microsites/about/corporate-responsibility/pdf/global-impact-overview_singles.pdf

To view MetLife’s full corporate responsibility report visit
https://www.metlife.com/content/dam/microsites/about/corporate-responsibility/pdf/global-impact-full-report.pdf

Select MetLife Foundation Grants and Social Impact Investments

Image: MetLife Foundation Key Point 1
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: MetLife Foundation is supporting this newest Smithsonian museum as a founding donor with a $1 million grant. The 380,000 square foot museum is the only national museum dedicated to telling the story of the United States through the lens of African-American life, art, history and culture.
Image: MetLife Foundation Key Point 2
Working Student Success Network: Partnering with Community Colleges to address challenges students face in completing their education, by increasing students’ financial stability and in turn increasing the likelihood of academic success. MetLife Foundation supports the program which includes 19 colleges and state coordinating agencies in Arkansas, California, Virginia and Washington.
Image: MetLife Foundation Key Point 3
Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs): MetLife Foundation partners with Local Initiatives Support Corporation to support FOCs in 11 cities across the U.S. The centers provide integrated financial coaching and job placement for economically-challenged individuals with the goal of increasing financial stability in their lives.
Image: MetLife Foundation Key Point 4
National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions: Working with the Federation’s Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners, MetLife Foundation supports a pilot program at five credit unions to develop a scalable model to provide financial products and financial counseling with strong outcomes. The pilot program is working with credit unions in New York, Texas, Ohio, Virginia and Louisiana.
Image: MetLife Foundation Key Point 5
Aid Like a Paycheck: MetLife Foundation supports efforts to provide college students with aid that is evenly distributed across a school year rather than in lump sums at the beginning of each semester. This project helps thousands of students manage their budgets through pilot programs in California and Texas.
Image: Social Impact 1

Investing in Infrastructure: In 2015, MetLife partnered with General Electric Co. to invest in an Illinois wind farm to power Microsoft Corp.’s data center in Chicago. MetLife believes wind power investments provide steady, long-term returns at a reasonable level of risk. Additionally, these investments make a meaningful contribution toward limiting carbon and greenhouse gases.

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Municipal Bonds: MetLife invests in municipal bonds that support infrastructure, education, community health and affordable housing. MetLife has invested in municipal bonds since 1996. As of December 31, 2015, MetLife has investments in 425 different municipal entities in 47 states and Washington D.C. Over the past 10 years, MetLife’s investment in municipal bonds has increased more than 300 percent.  

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MetLife Investment Management: In addition to Impact Investments sourced for our general account portfolio, MetLife Investment Management also sources Impact Investments for its institutional investment management clients. Through December 31, 2015, MetLife has sourced almost $6.0 billion in green building and renewable energy opportunities for its clients.

MetLife Foundation and Global Impact Reports

Icon: Metlife Foundation Report 2016

Metlife Foundation Report 2016
Icon: Global Impact Report Full 2016

Global Impact Report Full 2016
Icon: Global Impact Report Overview 2016

Global Impact Report Overview 2016
Icon: Global Impact Report 2015

Global Impact Report 2015
Icon: MetLife Foundation Report 2015

MetLife Foundation Report 2015

Other Resources of Interest

Icon: MetLife Foundation – Thought Leadership

MetLife Foundation – Thought Leadership
Icon: MetLife’s Commitment to Impact Investments

MetLife’s Commitment to Impact Investments
Icon: MetLife’s Commitment to the Military Community

MetLife’s Commitment to the Military Community

Featured Corporate Responsibility News

Note: These resources are provided to broaden information about corporate responsibility but do not imply MetLife’s support all of the positions or specific recommendations of outside papers or organizations.