Responsible Governance
2025 Sustainability Report
Responsible Governance
Our Approach
Responsible governance is a cornerstone of New Frontier—it provides the structure for operating with integrity, discipline, transparency and accountability that enables MetLife to confidently execute on its business priorities and live its purpose of building a more confident future. Effective governance underpins the way we make decisions, manage risk and uphold compliance standards to earn trust, drive attractive returns and deliver resilient, all-weather performance. Clear governance guardrails help MetLife embrace technology responsibly and navigate change, reinforcing our competitive strengths and helping us maintain our position as an institution that our customers and other stakeholders can depend on in moments they need us the most.
We have built a culture in which our people take responsibility for their actions, adopt an ownership mindset and are empowered to speak up. To maintain this culture, MetLife continuously improves governance practices and regularly adopts and updates trainings, policies, codes and resources for employees to uphold and promote in their day-to-day practices. Certain of these resources include:
- Antitrust Guidelines;
- Code of Business Ethics;
- Directors’ Code of Business Ethics;
- Financial Management Code of Business Ethics;
- Global Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy;
- Global Anti-Money Laundering Policy;
- Global Customer Protection Policy;
- Global Electronic Communications Policy;
- Global Employee Conflicts and Outside Activities Policy;
- Global Fraud Risk Management Policy;
- Global Policy on Escalation of Concerns and Investigation Handling;
- Global Privacy and Data Protection Policy;
- Global Responsible Artificial Intelligence Policy;
- Global Security Policies and Standards;
- Global Trade and Economic Sanctions Policy;
- Global Workplace Statement;
- MetLife Environmental Policy Statement;
- MetLife Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Harassment Policy;
- MetLife Ethics & Fraud HelpLine;
- MetLife Pay Equity Statement;
- MetLife Speak Up Tool;
- MetLife U.S. Privacy Notices and Policies;
- Supplier Code of Business Ethics;
- Third-Party Risk Management Policy; and
- U.S. Complaint Handling Policy.
MetLife’s Corporate Governance website and Sustainability webpages offer an overview of how the Company is structured and the policies that guide corporate responsibility, including information about its Board of Directors, executive leadership, ethics standards and key governance policies.
Safeguarding customer interests through strong governance
MetLife’s Customer Protection Policy reflects our commitment to responsible governance by embedding fair treatment of customers into our business models, strategy and practices globally across product design, marketing, sales practices, complaints management and customer benefits. We’re committed to delivering for our customers to maintain their trust and build enduring business relationships.
Board of Directors
MetLife's Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the management of the Company's business and advising the Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, who conduct the Company's business and affairs. The Board's oversight includes, but is not limited to, the following areas: strategy and business, management succession planning, risk, corporate governance, cybersecurity and sustainability.
In performing oversight responsibilities, Directors apply their business judgment to ensure that the Company’s executive officers manage in the best long-term interests of the Company and its shareholders. MetLife maintains a Directors’ Code of Business Ethics, which requires each Director to annually review and sign an acknowledgment of understanding and compliance.
Each of MetLife’s Board committees (with the exception of the Executive Committee) is chaired by an independent Director with demonstrated expertise in the responsibilities of such committee and strong leadership skills. Please refer to MetLife’s 2026 Proxy Statement for a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of each of the committees.
Global Sustainability Governance
MetLife’s sustainability efforts are coordinated through a unified enterprise approach that drives alignment, accountability and governance processes, and our ability to operate responsibly across all business areas. This section outlines how sustainability is embedded throughout the Company—from Board oversight to executive management to operational execution.
MetLife’s Board oversees the Company’s sustainability strategy and execution, including the assessment and management of various sustainability opportunities, priorities and risks. The Board’s Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee primarily oversees the Company’s policies concerning its corporate citizenship programs, efforts to manage its reputation and culture and reviews policies and positions regarding sustainability matters of significance to the Company, its communities, shareholders and employees.
The Board’s Audit Committee is responsible for the oversight of controls and procedures relating to material financial information and non-financial data included in the Company’s disclosures. For additional examples of Board oversight on sustainability, see MetLife’s 2026 Proxy Statement.
MetLife’s Global Sustainability function is dedicated to sustainability strategy, management and reporting. The Chief Sustainability Officer leads the function and reports to MetLife’s Regional President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Head of Global Sustainability, who reports to the CEO. The following roles and groups reflect how sustainability-related responsibilities are embedded across the business to deliver value for all our stakeholders:
- Regional business heads of the U.S., Asia, Latin America and EMEA regions drive a customer-centric approach, integrating responsible business principles and sustainability considerations, as appropriate, into product design, service models and the overall customer experience to meet business objectives and deliver on our purpose.
- MetLife’s Head of Global Technology and Operations plays an important role in advancing sustainability and resilience by embedding efficiency, responsible sourcing, and risk management into critical services, strengthening preparedness while supporting secure, reliable platforms for customers and employees across the organization.
- MetLife’s Chief Human Resources Officer enables a future-ready workforce and an energized, inclusive culture where employees feel empowered, take pride in their work and have opportunities to build the skills and leadership needed to innovate, act with empathy and operate with agility for our customers.
- MetLife’s Chief Risk Officer (CRO) oversees MetLife’s independent Global Risk Management (GRM) organization. The CRO is primarily responsible for maintaining and communicating the Company’s enterprise risk policies and for monitoring and analyzing material risks. GRM coordinates across risk management committees to ensure that all material risks are properly identified, measured, monitored, managed and reported across the Company.
- MetLife’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO) manages MetLife’s general account (GA) investment portfolio, including investment strategy and risk-adjusted return optimization across asset classes. This includes overseeing sustainability considerations relevant to portfolio performance. The CIO is supported by an Investment Sustainability team responsible for sustainability-related GA decisions, driving value-added investments for the portfolio.
- Within the Finance function, MetLife’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Financial Reporting Controller supports regulated and voluntary reporting containing ESG information. MetLife’s Sustainability Reporting Steering Committee, comprised of cross-functional senior leaders, oversees ESG regulatory and reporting disclosures and is responsible for the consistency and appropriate control oversight of such disclosures.
- ESG Financial Reporting, MetLife’s Government and Legal Affairs and Communications teams track and lead preparations for implementation of new sustainability regulations in partnership with relevant stakeholders across the Company.
- As a separate legal entity, MetLife Foundation has its own board of directors, chaired by our Regional President of EMEA and Head of Global Sustainability. MetLife Foundation’s President and CEO, a fully integrated role that also serves as MetLife’s Head of Corporate Giving and Employee Volunteerism, reports directly to the Foundation’s board chair.
MetLife’s CEO has final sign-off on the publication of the annual Sustainability Report, which is shared with the Board’s Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee annually.
Responsible Use of AI
The power of AI lies in how human judgment and machine intelligence work together to drive meaningful outcomes. MetLife recognizes that when used responsibly and strategically, AI can serve as a force multiplier—helping us gather insights, enhance customer experiences and create value for all stakeholders. Reflecting these principles, and consistent with emerging best practices that call for disciplined, accountable and transparent AI adoption, we continue to develop and deploy new technologies with intentional design and human oversight. To guide this work, MetLife has implemented a Global Responsible Artificial Intelligence Policy to align with our values, uphold customer trust and advance responsible innovation with confidence across the enterprise. Learn more about MetLife’s guiding principles around the responsible use of AI in our Code of Business Ethics.
The Policy is based on seven principles that provide the foundation for the ethical, transparent and secure use of AI solutions. They include fairness; transparency and explainability; privacy; accountability; performance; data governance, quality and retention; and resiliency and security.
Read MetLife’s Statement on Human Rights, our Slavery and Human Trafficking Statements for the U.K. and the EU, and the Australia Modern Slavery Statement.
Human Rights
MetLife is committed to respecting and promoting human rights across all aspects of our business. As a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, we align our actions with globally recognized principles and international standards that protect people from abuses such as human trafficking, slavery, forced labor, child labor and discrimination. While governments play a central role in safeguarding human rights, we recognize our responsibility to uphold these principles in our operations and value chain. Guided by the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, we work to foster fair treatment, safe working conditions and dignity for everyone connected to our business.
