Our People and Culture 99 2021 Sustainability Report Responsible Business Practices A Modern, High-Performing Health System Introduction Performance Data Environmental Health Public policy UnitedHealth Group engages in efforts to help shape and inform public policy decisions that ensure all people have access to high-quality, affordable health care. Our participation — including making bipartisan political contributions — is designed to improve the health care system and positively impact all of our stakeholders. Our engagement Our public policy engagement is focused on addressing the most pressing health care challenges and opportunities in the communities where we live and work. Public policy efforts are led by UnitedHealth Group’s External Affairs organization, with engagement and partnership across UnitedHealth Group, including the Optum and UnitedHealthcare businesses. We engage government officials at the federal, state and international levels, serving as a trusted and solutions-oriented voice in the important discussions about health care reform and modernization. Our key areas of focus include: • De veloping and advancing public policy solutions. • Conducting internally gener ated research to provide key insights on the most pressing issues facing the health system. • P artnering with leading academic institutions to work jointly on health care research and data analysis efforts. • F ostering strategic partnerships with key stakeholders on policy and advocacy initiatives.