Aetna’s focus on corporate responsibility is evident in everything we do, from adherence to strict ethical guidelines and corporate governance standards to longstanding support of the communities where we do business. We have a clear track record for social responsibility that starts with our member-focused mission statement and set of values and culminates in responsible business policies and practices. It is a record that speaks directly to the priorities of many firms today that want and expect to do business with socially responsible companies.


Aetna Community Involvement

Nothing speaks to our commitment to responsible leadership more visibly and resolutely than the activities of our independent charitable and philanthropic arm, the Aetna Foundation. Founded in 1972, the Foundation helps build healthy communities by promoting volunteerism, forming partnerships and funding initiatives that improve the quality of life where our employees and customers work and live.

In 2008, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation contributed $25.5 million in grants and sponsorships, with more than $5.7 million directed to help address racial and ethnic disparities in health care. The Foundation’s giving focuses on health, diversity, and employee community involvement. Since 2003, employees have logged 1.6 million hours of community service.

Aetna’s commitment to healthy communities is demonstrated through:

• Quality of care grants program
• Regional grants program
• Calendars celebrating diversity
• Voice of Conscience Award
• Strong support of employee volunteerism

back to top


Aetna's Commitment to the Military

Aetna employees have a long history of service to our nation. For 155 years, they have heeded the call to come to the aid of their fellow citizens at home and abroad. Our archives contain rich details of stories, service and sacrifice by Aetna's military veterans. More

Diversity at Aetna

We recognize the impact and importance of diversity in all aspects of our business, whether it is providing products and services to meet a wide variety of consumer needs, fostering relationships with women and minority business owners and suppliers, or developing a truly diverse employee population. Our Diversity Annual Report  (28 pages) highlights some of the ways diversity is ingrained in our strategy and goals.

• Through recruitment, education and development, we continue to strengthen Aetna’s workplace diversity to mirror the customers we serve.
• We are diversifying our supplier base, purchasing more than $106 million in goods and services from certified women-owned and minority-owned business enterprises in 2008.
• We have created and implemented strategies that concentrate on bringing our health and related benefits to some of the fastest growing segments in the United States.

back to top


Public Policy Leadership

Aetna is committed to transforming health care in America by playing a leadership role in advancing public policy solutions. Our goal is access to health care services and improved quality of care for all Americans.

• Our pioneering To Your Health! Aetna’s Proposal for Health Care System Transformation  (6 pages) is a comprehensive health reform plan that proposes a framework for constructive dialogue and meaningful change.
• We are continuously exploring ways to enhance our policies and practices, and create new business solutions to expand access to health benefits and improve consumers’ health care experience. Our industry-leading price and quality transparency efforts represent just one such effort.
• Aetna is engaged in numerous activities to help address the problem of inadequate health literacy, a significant obstacle to healthful living

back to top


Environmental Practices

As a health care company, Aetna is dedicated to helping people achieve health and financial security, and we believe fostering a healthy environment is an important part of this mission. We are committed to limiting our environmental impact by reducing our energy consumption and the use of other resources, and to identifying emerging environmental issues that we can help address because we recognize the impact of a clean environment on the health of our members.

Aetna is a participant in the Business Roundtable's "Climate Resolve" initiative and was a charter member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise program, which seeks waste reductions through a combination of prevention and recycling. Specifically, Aetna has implemented:

• A corporate-wide initiative to reduce paper usage both internally and externally, with the goal of transforming today's paper-driven business process to an e-driven process by 2010. As a result, Aetna is reducing its paper usage by 10 percent annually.
• The recycling of paper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles at Aetna-owned facilities. Also, 10 percent to 30 percent of all corporate printed materials are done on recycled paper, depending on the nature of the job.
• Environmentally friendly practices throughout our office environment. Aetna today uses energy-saving devices and equipment to minimize power consumption, and we purchase ultra-low sulfur fuels for generators and boilers.

Corporate Governance

Aetna's reputation is one of the company's most valuable assets. We have earned this reputation over the course of 155 years by delivering quality products and services, and by adhering to the highest standards of business conduct. These standards include sound corporate governance policies to address the interests of our constituents.

An important principle of good governance is transparency. Aetna, therefore, makes its key corporate governance policies and practices publicly available online. These corporate governance pages contain key information about Aetna's corporate governance in one simple, clear and easy-to-navigate location.

Those policies provide a framework for governance of the company consistent with shareholder and other constituent interests, and with the principles behind the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the New York Stock Exchange's corporate governance rules. We believe that sharing our corporate governance principles with all of our key stakeholders will help ensure that our commitment to excellence, integrity and accountability is apparent to all.