BMO Financial Group's Miguel Mendes Honoured for Contributions to LGBTQ2+ Community

TORONTO, Oct. 25, 2019 /CNW/ - BMO Financial Group's Miguel Mendes has been recognized at Start Proud's 2019 Leaders to be Proud Of Awards. Mr. Mendes was awarded the Professional Leader Award in recognition of his contributions to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and two-spirited (LGBTQ2+) business community.

Mr. Mendes chairs BMO Pride– an enterprise resource group comprised of employees across Canada, Europe, and Asia collectively working to ensure an inclusive environment for LGBTQ2+ employees and customers. BMO's ERGs are employee-led and key enablers of diversity and inclusion at BMO with more than 6,000 allies and members. Through his involvement in BMO Pride he has helped to:

• Advise executive leadership on the creation of enterprise-wide LGBTQ2+ inclusion strategies
• Establish BMO's North American in-branch Gender Pronoun Initiative
• Design a bank-wise transgender inclusion strategy; launch BMO's first LGBTQ2+ mentorship program
• Lead Team BMO in the annual pride and remembrance run fundraiser
• Expand BMO Pride's presence in the UK and Asia.

Additionally, through BMO's pro bono program Mr. Mendes advocates against discrimination and violence against LGBTQ2+ individuals internationally.

"I am thrilled Miguel is being honoured for his exemplary work as an advocate for inclusivity and diversity," said Mona Malone, Head of People & Culture and Chief Human Resources Officer, BMO Financial Group. "All too often LGBTQ2+ individuals are unable to live safely as their authentic selves. At BMO, we believe it's our Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and in life, and we are proud to work alongside leaders such as Miguel to fuel change and work towards creating an inclusive society."

"This incredible honour is really a reflection of the genuinely inclusive culture we've built at BMO," said Miguel Mendes, Chief Compliance Officer, BMO Investments Inc. "BMO is a place where our LGBTQ2+ employees and customers can always be their authentic selves – and where employees like me are encouraged and empowered to help tear down all barriers to inclusion. I'm lucky to work here."

BMO Financial Group is committed to supporting LGBTQ2+ communities across North America. Notable initiatives and achievements include:

• Achieved 100 per cent on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation's 2019 Corporate Equality Index, which rates workplaces on LGBTQ equality
• Platinum Sponsor for the pride & remembrance run, the largest fundraising event held during Toronto's Pride Month celebrations
• Supported Pride activities in more than 20 communities across North America
• Expanded the Gender Pronoun Initiative to 50 branches from coast-to-coast to give transgender, non-binary and gender-fluid customers a safe space to share their pronouns with representatives
• Signing the United Nations' Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) Standards of Conduct for Business

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 $839 billion as of July 31, 2019, 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

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