As Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund, HCF has always believed it can positively impact the health of its members, community and the environment. We are focused on delivering value for our stakeholders through improved health and social outcomes, while reducing our environmental impact.
Our sustainability framework is aligned to our purpose of bringing our human touch to healthcare, as well as our vision and strategic priorities.
We are creating value and sustainability outcomes for our members, people, communities, environment, providers & suppliers, with robust governance.
HCF is creating value for our:
MEMBERS
HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund protecting Australians since 1932, covers more than 2 million members with health and life insurance, travel, pet, home and car insurance.
We have always put our members and their health first. For over 90 years, we have stayed true to our not-for-profit philosophy – making decisions to benefit our members, not shareholders.
Our corporate strategy charts an ambitious course for us to become a true health partner of choice in the future and builds upon our vision of making healthcare understandable, affordable, high-quality and member centric.
HCF supports members by providing access to a range of health programs and services tailored to their individual needs. Members have access to a range of preventative health screenings, such as heart health checks, to curated content and health programs focused on early risk identification and chronic disease management. For example, in 2024-25, our Healthy Hearts 75-stop tour across Australia delivered over 2,500 heart health checks, referring members with high-risk factors to their GP or evidence-based health programs.
At HCF, we believe we have a vital role to play in advocating for a fair and sustainable healthcare system, to make sure members receive the care that is best suited to their needs.
Our commitment to our members is also outlined in our Member Service Charter.
EMPLOYEES
We know our people are vital to our success and that is why we are continuing to create an engaged, values-driven culture, where our people feel safe and supported on their well-being journey and are celebrated for their contributions to delivering the best possible member experience.
An engaged workforce is one that continually learns and grows. We are committed to providing learning and development opportunities, to guide and support our people to reach their career goals.
Diversity and inclusivity are also at the heart of our culture and our five Diversity Employee Reference Groups foster belonging, respect and equal opportunity.
We are also continually looking for ways to improve our employee experience, to meet changing employee needs and to be an organisation where the best people choose to work for an exciting career. We are proud of being a Family Friendly Accredited Workplace.
We are also investing in our working environment to promote enhanced opportunities for connection and collaboration both in-person and via technology.
Being in the business of health means prioritising the wellbeing and safety of our employees. We support our people at every stage of their health journey, from participating in wellbeing activities, like the Royal Flying Doctor Service Oceans to Outback challenge, to sharing ''Wellbeing Wednesday'' tips, and providing easy access to preventative screenings and evidence-based health programs that address key chronic conditions.
View HCF’s Diversity & Inclusion Statement
COMMUNITY
At HCF we make a positive difference to community wellbeing through our products, health programs, member offerings and community partnerships – while also generating value within the Australian economy.
One of the many ways we support Australians’ health is by giving back. Our social mission is to build healthier communities across Australia by helping to address the important social issues impacting health outcomes, starting with access to healthcare and education.
Our national partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service aims to support the delivery of better healthcare access and outcomes for those living in rural and remote communities.
In addition, our partnership with The Smith Family enables 1,500 young students across Australia to be part of the Learning for Life program, providing them with long-term financial, personal and practical educational support to reach their full potential.
HCF is also embarking on an Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), as we play our part in creating a reconciled Australia. In our Innovate RAP we will focus on developing and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as exploring how we can improve health outcomes.
Over the last two decades we’ve also invested $33.7 million through the work of the HCF Research Foundation, funding critical health services research projects to improve the quality, efficiency, access to and equity of health care for members and all Australians.
Since 2016 HCF has invested in accelerators and venture funds that have helped 55 start-ups bring their innovative health and wellness ideas to the market. We use these experiences and learnings to invest in our innovation team to reshape wellness protection, for example Flip on-demand insurance, in ways that will improve the lives both for our members and the broader community.
We are proud of our major partnership with Netball Australia, working together since 2019 to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians, particularly women and girls, by empowering them to stay active in sport and lead healthier lives.
We also support our members and the community when they need it most. For example, providing practical support, including premium waivers and temporary policy suspensions during natural disaster events to help members get back on their feet, as well as financial assistance to support community relief efforts.
ENVIRONMENT
At HCF, we understand that a healthy planet is crucial to our own health and wellbeing, which is why we are looking to reduce our environmental impact and encourage others to do the same.
Climate change is a health threat facing humanity and we recognise the growing toll climate change is likely to have on people’s health and lives, through warmer temperatures and the increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. That is why we completed a qualitative climate change scenario analysis, identifying risks and opportunities arising from defined changes that are going to occur due to physical climate changes and/or a transition to a low carbon economy. The insights gained from this process will be taken into consideration in forming future strategies.
HCF is committed to playing our part in supporting global efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy. We achieved net zero across scopes 1 and 2 (greenhouse gas emissions more within our direct control) by 30 June 2025 (from a FY22 baseline) mainly through moving to Greenpower, with offsets purchased for residual emissions and aim to achieve net zero for scope 3 (excluding hospital, medical, ancillary and other health services related to claims payments, and investments including strategic partnerships) by 2040.
In addition, at HCF House, our head office in Sydney, we received a 4.5-star Green Star accreditation and are working towards a 5-star NABERS energy rating. Our HCF office at Parramatta has proudly achieved WELL Platinum Certification, the highest level of recognition, reflecting exceptional performance across all ten WELL concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community.
Our Responsible Investment Policy considers environmental, social, and governance factors such as climate change. By 2040, we aim to invest 5 percent of HCF’s investment portfolio in climate and transition solutions, which equates to about $130 million today. Our longer-term goal is to be net zero for scope 3 investments by 2050 or sooner.
View HCF’s Responsible Investment Policy.
PARTNERS & SUPPLIERS
We are working closely with our external providers to identify and act on important ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) risks across our supply chain.
We have developed a set of Supplier Principles covering multiple aspects of ESG to proactively set our values and approach to operating sustainability across our supplier base and we encourage our suppliers to operate in a similar way.
At HCF, we are committed to the fair and proper treatment of people in our operations and supply chain, and we have taken steps to develop policy and processes to ensure we can identify and address risks associated with modern slavery. Since 2020, we have released our annual Modern Slavery Statement providing a comprehensive outline of how we are addressing this issue in our supply chains.
View HCF’s Modern Slavery Statement.
View HCF's Group Supplier Principles.
GOVERNANCE
As a business, we are committed to leading with robust governance and responsible business practices that deliver sustainable business and build brand trust. This is supported through a governance framework as outlined in our Corporate Governance Statement.
As individuals, we are dedicated to conducting business in strict compliance with applicable laws and with the highest standards of personal and corporate integrity. These standards are defined in our HCF Group Code of Conduct and apply to all HCF Group employees.
Delivering on these commitments requires integrating robust governance, strategy, risk management, metrics and targets into how we do business, to drive long-term value for our stakeholders and the planet.
HCF is using the recently released Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards – Disclosure of Climate related Financial Information as our guide to keeping our stakeholders clearly informed of our progress.
