UNION ASSURANCE
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
Q: What inspired the direction of Union Assurance’s approach to corporate citizenship?
A: As Sri Lanka’s first private insurer, Union Assurance has played a pivotal role in the nation’s socioeconomic landscape for nearly four decades. We have stood by citizens through both challenging times and milestones, building a brand that continuously evolves to meet the changing needs of customers.
Recognising the evolving landscape and understanding how stakeholders wish to engage with us, we took a bold step last year in rethinking how value is created across the board. This led to the introduction of our new brand vision – empowering human progress by protecting what matters the most.
We aim to support individuals on their unique journeys of progress, making life insurance more accessible and simplified. Our goal is to provide them the strength and confidence to thrive in all aspects of life. We firmly believe that individual empowerment is foundational to national development.
In line with this vision, Union Assurance introduced a new brand purpose – to protect lives and enrich wellbeing – reflecting our commitment to strengthening the financial, emotional, physical and community wellbeing of all. This strategic direction forms the foundation of everything we do, and inspires us to make a positive difference for individuals, families and communities across Sri Lanka.
To bring our brand vision and purpose to life, particularly in enriching community wellbeing, we conducted a thorough assessment to identify the most urgent national challenges.
One critical issue that emerged was the widespread prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which have a profound impact on social and economic progress. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health revealed that a staggering 83 percent of deaths in Sri Lanka are attributed to NCDs, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Among them, diabetes has become a major issue with alarming increases in diabetes and pre-diabetes cases over the past three decades. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Sri Lanka reported a diabetes prevalence rate of 10.2 percent among adults in 2024, placing the nation at a heightened risk within the South Asian region.
This affects a sizeable portion of the population with more cases emerging among younger individuals due to modern sedentary lifestyles, inadequate exercise and rising stress levels. The consequences are severe, including higher morbidity rates and complications such as cardiovascular diseases, blindness, kidney failure and amputations.
In response, Union Assurance stepped forward as a proactive corporate citizen through Suwamaga – a programme dedicated to providing nationwide support in the fight against diabetes.
Q: Could you elaborate on the corporate social responsibility programme, Suwamaga?
A: Suwamaga is Union Assurance’s flagship CSR programme dedicated to reducing the incidence of diabetes in Sri Lanka. Our comprehensive approach includes raising awareness, promoting active lifestyles, facilitating early detection and providing tools for community engagement.
In its first phase, the initiative looked at creating social dialogue on the importance of addressing diabetes across all strata of society.
As part of the second phase, the company unveiled the Suwamaga Mobile Screening Unit in November last year in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This fully equipped mobile truck provides free diabetes screenings conducted by certified healthcare professionals along with health reports and personalised guidance to help participants manage and mitigate health risks.
The unit travels from urban hubs to rural regions, ensuring free testing is available to individuals of all ages, regardless of whether they are Union Assurance customers. Since its launch, the programme has positively impacted over 36,000 individuals, providing free testing to over 24,000 individuals.
Results from the screenings emphasise the urgency of our purpose. Alarmingly, 12 percent of those screened required further HbA1c testing due to high random blood sugar levels. Of those screened for HbA1c, nine percent were confirmed to be in the diabetes stage, underscoring its widespread nature and the critical need for proactive intervention.
Notably, 31 percent were diagnosed for the first time, enabling early intervention, while urgent cases were promptly referred to hospitals for further care. We encourage the public to seize this valuable opportunity and avail themselves of the screenings which are free of charge.
In addition, Union Assurance entered the third phase of the programme with a nationwide social movement – Diabeater. This initiative invites the public to take the Diabeater pledge, uniting in the fight against diabetes through education, action and community support. Becoming a Diabeater involves embracing a holistic, three-pronged approach to health and wellbeing.
First, Diabeaters are equipped with tools and resources to take charge of their health, empowering them to make informed lifestyle choices. Second, participants are encouraged to raise awareness, sparking conversations about healthier lifestyles and setting an example for others. Third, the movement fosters a sense of collective responsibility and collaboration in the fight against diabetes.
Looking ahead, Union Assurance remains focussed on expanding the reach and impact of the Suwamaga programme, reinforcing its impact as a national initiative that contributes meaningfully to both the social and economic progress of Sri Lanka.
– Compiled by Tamara Rebeira
Telephone 2990990 | Email info@unionassurance.com | Website www.unionassurance.com
