Aflac Ranked in Top 10 on Newsweek's U.S. 500 Green Rankings for 2015

COLUMBUS, Ga., June 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site in the United States, is ranked No. 9 in Newsweek's 2015 Green Rankings for the U.S. 500 and No. 16 for the Global 500. The U.S. 500 consists of the 500 largest publicly traded companies headquartered in the U.S. by market capitalization as of December 31, 2014. The Global 500 consists of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the world by market capitalization as of December 31, 2014.

"We are extremely proud of this recognition from Newsweek, as we understand our responsibility to minimize our impact on the environment," Aflac Vice President and Employee Green Committee Chairman Alfred Blackmar said. "Being a conscientious member of our ecosystem entails a company-wide effort to be responsible and accountable. From the board of directors to the newest members of our organization, we strive to be a leading example of sustainability in our community."

Aflac maintains an employee-led Green Committee as well as a board-level Sustainability Committee, both of which oversee the company's overall sustainability program called Aflac SmartGreen. Aflac's philosophy includes five key areas: Business Operations, Facilities Management, Waste Management, Employee Engagement, and Strategic Sourcing and Procurement. In 2014, Aflac became the first insurance company in the United States to be ISO 50001 Energy Management System registered.

According to Newsweek, the data for its rankings is obtained from primary sources, including annual reports, audited financial statements, proxy statements and sustainability reports. Secondary data is obtained from HIP Investor, Bloomberg and the CDP. All companies are contacted for data verification once all available items of data have been obtained.

The 2015 Newsweek Green Rankings measure the environmental performance of large public companies using eight clearly defined key performance indicators. The methodology is clear and rules- based, and the process meets the test of being replicable by a third party.

About Aflac
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For nearly six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site. Through its trailblazing One Day Pay^SM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In Japan, Aflac is a leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac individual and group insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For nine consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2015, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 17^th consecutive year. Also, in 2015, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 14th time, ranking the company No. 1 in innovation for the insurance, life and health category. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day Pay^SM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.

About Newsweek
Newsweek is a premier news magazine and website, bringing high-quality journalism to readers around the globe for over 80 years. Newsweek provides the latest news, in-depth analysis and ideas about international issues, technology, business, culture and politics. In addition to its online and mobile presence, Newsweek publishes weekly English print editions in the United States, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia as well as editions in Japanese, Korean, Polish, Serbian, Spanish and Czech. Newsweek is owned by IBT Media. For more information, visit: newsweek.com or corp.ibt.com.

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SOURCE Aflac

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