BMO Financial Group Named to Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for Fourth Year in a Row

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2019 /CNW/ - BMO Financial Group today announced that it has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) for the fourth year in a row.

The Index recognizes companies committed to gender equality and inclusivity within the workplace and the community. Since 2017 the index has doubled in size and currently includes 230 companies from 10 sectors across 36 countries.

"An inclusive culture and a workforce that reflects our diverse communities and customers are top priorities at BMO. We continue to be deeply committed to bold actions that foster a sense of belonging for all, including women leaders," said Cam Fowler, President of North American Personal & Business Banking, BMO Financial Group, and BMO's Executive Diversity Champion. "Through workplace initiatives that have led to 40 per cent of senior BMO leaders being women, educational tools  that help women to take control of their finances, and our commitment to provide $3 billion in capital to women-lead businesses, BMO is a leader in supporting and empowering women."

Current initiatives include:

• Products Supporting Women – BMO offers an extensive suite of products and services to support women. For instance, in 2018, it announced $3 billion in capital would be available over three years for Canadian businesses owned by women, which will also create new jobs and strengthen communities. Additionally, BMO offers educational tools such as its website, www.bmoforwomen.com, and a podcast series, Her Money, Her Way, to help inform women on a wide array of relevant topics.
• Diversity and Inclusion Strategy – Vision 2020 is a multi-year strategy to drive the bank's performance and industry leadership by fostering greater diversity and inclusion across the organization.
• Career Development – BMO believes in growing leaders from within. More than 60 per cent of its senior leaders have completed the Leadership EDGE program since its launch in April 2016.
• Women in a Supported Environment (W.I.S.E) – BMO's largest Enterprise Resource Group, W.I.S.E., with over 3000 members, is a community of employees – both men and women – who champion the inclusion, connection, development, advancement, and support of women for the betterment of BMO's business, communities and culture.
• Women in Senior Leadership and Board Representation – 40 percent of senior leadership roles are held by women, while 35.7 per cent of independent directors on BMO's Board of Directors are women.
• Developing Future Leaders – BMO helps develop leaders for today and for the future. The bank was an executive sponsor of Plan International's "Girls Belong Here" initiative on the International Day of the Girl, during which young women shadowed several BMO executives. The initiative showcased the different career opportunities within the organization for future women leaders.

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $774 billion as of October 31, 2018, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media Contact: Julie Smithers, Toronto, [e-mail], [phone]