Message from our CEO

Notably, in 2021, we established a strong ESG governance structure, identified our strategic pillars and key areas of focus through a materiality assessment, determined which ESG frameworks to align to, and completed our first carbon assessment to better understand our environmental footprint.

As we looked at our ESG priorities and our long-term strategy, we had to look no further than our reason for being. At Alight, our purpose is to power confident decisions, for life. We do this by providing our clients’ employees with the tools, technology, resources and guidance to make more well-informed decisions around their health, wealth and wellbeing. We believe that when we put the power of artificial intelligence (AI), embedded with years of experience and engineered with empathy, in people’s hands, the result is the security of better outcomes and peace of mind throughout life’s big moments and most important decisions.

This purpose shines through in all we do and is the center point for our approach to ESG – our business is fundamentally the “S” in ESG. Today, we provide health, wealth, wellbeing, and payroll solutions and services to 70% of the Fortune 100 and 50% of the Fortune 500, which accounts for 36 million employees and dependents worldwide. The influence that we have to help people make better decisions around their physical, mental and financial wellbeing is an incredible opportunity and responsibility that we believe it is critical to caring for the wellbeing of the world’s workforce.

I joined Alight in April 2020, and that has given me a front-row seat to the tectonic shifts that COVID-19 forced onto companies — perhaps none more seismic than the fundamental realignment of employees’ priorities driven by the impact the pandemic had on people’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing. We are in what we call the “Era of the Employee,” and we believe companies – and the people who lead them – are being evaluated based on how they treat their employees.

There has never been a more important time for companies to serve that higher calling.

The COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical issues, social unrest and historically high inflation have contributed to a mental health crisis. According to recent Alight research, nearly three in four workers around the world report high or moderate stress levels, and 34% say they are suffering burnout symptoms. And, of course, mental health struggles don’t happen in isolation and are often interconnected challenges. Indeed, fewer than half of people worldwide rate their wellbeing positively today, and only 38% of workers view their financial wellbeing positively.

The good news is that employees want and expect more help from their employers. Nearly three-quarters of employees would be comfortable sharing information in exchange for personalized health guidance, and almost half of workers would be comfortable sharing personal financial information with their employer if it would allow them to provide personalized financial guidance or planning.

Like our clients, our colleagues have struggled with the emotional, financial and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, world events and difficult social justice issues, not to mention the day-to-day challenges we all face. Given our business, we are in a unique position to truly understand the impact of positive wellbeing on a company’s workforce and the importance of caring for our colleagues. We understand that caring for the wellbeing of our colleagues takes a holistic approach to supporting the multiple facets, demands and needs of their lives. We have incorporated new practices – like frequent listening sessions with colleagues worldwide to help them navigate various societal issues– along with tools and resources they need to support their total wellbeing.

Our Global Impact Report provides more information on our accomplishments, strategy and journey ahead in greater detail.

As Alight continues to grow and mature, our commitment to ESG – how we operate our business, how we achieve our purpose to deliver innovative solutions that help workers and their families around the world improve their overall wellbeing, and how we support our colleagues – will also continue to grow and evolve. We look forward to continuing our journey and our path to positively impacting our colleagues, communities, clients and the world.