Great-West top ranked Canadian insurance company by the Carbon Disclosure Project

TSX:GWO

Dedication to sustainability and continuous improvement recognized again in 2017

WINNIPEG, Oct. 30, 2017 /CNW/ - Great-West Lifeco Inc. today announced it has earned an A- rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Great-West Life was the top ranked Canadian insurance company and ranked among the top six financial services companies in Canada. This achievement reflects its commitment to sustainability across its operations, both in Canada and abroad.

"Our companies strive to help build a more sustainable future for generations to come, and one of the ways we contribute is through our work to reduce the environmental impact of our operations," said Paul Mahon, President and CEO, Great-West Lifeco. "For the first time, we are reporting on our operations around the world and we are pleased that our commitment to sustainable practices in all of the countries in which we operate is being recognized."

The CDP is a global disclosure system that enables companies, cities, states and regions to measure and manage their environmental impacts. As part of the CDP's climate change program, companies can earn a position on the "A List" by disclosing high-quality data related to their carbon emissions and the management of climate change related risks and opportunities.

CDP's annual global climate change report, along with the climate scores of all companies publicly taking part in CDP's climate change program this year, is available on CDP's website.

The 2017 CDP Ranking comes just weeks after the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) ranked GWL Realty Advisors number one in Canada and in the top 8% of real estate advisory companies around the world for its commitment to sustainable environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.

GRESB is the world's leading benchmark for evaluating and ranking the sustainability practices of real estate companies. It is used by the investor community to better understand real estate companies' ESG activities and the sustainability performance of their portfolios.

"The top rankings from both the CDP and GRESB are a reflection of a strong commitment to continuous improvement in all areas of our operations," said Stefan Kristjanson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Canada, Great-West Life. "These accomplishments are only made possible through the dedicated efforts of our employees, who I want to thank for their unrelenting drive to serve our customers."

About Great-West Lifeco Inc.
Great-West Lifeco Inc. is an international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management and reinsurance businesses. Lifeco has operations in Canada, the United States, and Europe through Great-West Life, London Life, Canada Life, Irish Life, Great-West Financial and Putnam Investments. Lifeco and its companies have approximately $1.3 trillion in consolidated assets under administration as of June 30, 2017 and are members of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies. Great-West Lifeco trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the ticker symbol GWO. To learn more, visit www.greatwestlifeco.com.

SOURCE Great-West Lifeco Inc.