METLIFE RECOGNIZED FOR COMMITEMENT TO GLBT COMMUNITY

METLIFE RECOGNIZED FOR COMMITEMENT TO GLBT COMMUNITY

NEW YORK, October 13, 2008

For the sixth year in a row, MetLife has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRC) 2009 Corporate Equality Index, a rating system for how major U.S. corporations treat their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees and consumers.

The HRC Corporate Equality Index rated companies on a scale from 0 to 100 percent on several factors, including a written non-discrimination policy as well as employee benefits, training programs, support networks, advertising and marketing and contributions to the GLBT community.

In addition, Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE), presented its Certificate in Excellence in Leadership to the MetLife Mature Market Institute for its groundbreaking November 2006 research, “Out and Aging: The MetLife Study of Lesbian and Gay Baby Boomers.” The study was produced in conjunction with the American Society on Ageing’s Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network.

The first such study of its kind, “Out and Aging” raised important questions for the wide range of professionals who work with older adults, employers, policymakers and everyone interested in ensuring dignity, independence and the highest possible quality of life for the boomer generation as it reaches mid-life and older age.

“We are so honored that the HRC and SAGE have recognized MetLife’s commitment to the GLBT community,” said Denise Singleton, vice president of the Office of Diversity for MetLife.  “It’s a testament to our efforts to create an open, inclusive environment for our employees and to provide sound financial advice to the broader GLBT community.”

In the workplace, MetLife offers its U.S. employees and their domestic same- and opposite-sex partners a variety of health and other benefits, including adoption assistance and supplemental life insurance.  MetLife also has a recognized GLBT affinity group, as well as a company-wide diversity council, which consists of senior members from across the company and is committed to ensuring that diversity is built into all of MetLife’s business practices.

To better serve the needs of the GLBT marketplace, MetLife has a GLBT Advisory Council and Resource Committee, made up of financial services representatives and members of MetLife’s advanced market and financial planning teams.  The Advisory council provides support and guidance for MetLife’s ongoing GLBT marketing strategy, while the Resource Committee recommends best practices and strategies to increase recruiting in the GLBT market.