BMO Employees Donate $31 Million - and Counting - to Help Communities Thrive

• 90% of employees participated in the industry-leading BMO Employee Giving campaign.
• BMO gifts an additional $18M to five United Way agencies across North America.

TORONTO and CHICAGO, Jan. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - BMO today announced that 90% of its employees have personally donated $31 million¹ to BMO's strategic partner, the United Way, and thousands of other community organizations across North America as part of its 14^th annual, industry-leading, Employee Giving campaign – surpassing the bank's $27 million donation goal.

"Inspired by our Purpose, to Boldy Grow the Good in business and life, Team BMO took remarkable action to drive progress for communities across North America during this year's industry-leading Employee Giving campaign," said Darryl White, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group. "Together, we're building stronger neighbourhoods and healthier communities through partnerships with organizations like the United Way that work to address the root causes of inequity and deliver support directly where it's needed most."

In addition to the $31 million donated by employees, BMO continued to support United Way with corporate pledges of more than $18 million² to local United Way chapters in Toronto, Chicago, Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Montreal, which were announced during the 2024 campaign, for a total of $49 million³.

Over the past five years, BMO employees have personally donated more than $130 million to charities across North America through the company's annual Employee Giving campaign.

"When we invest in building stronger, more equitable communities, especially for those who are most vulnerable in our society, we all benefit," said Angela F. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer at United Way Worldwide. "We are proud to partner with BMO and applaud its team members for their generous support of United Ways across North America. This collaboration has a direct impact on communities by strengthening local resilience, and advancing health, youth opportunity, and financial security so all can thrive."

BMO kicked off its Employee Giving campaign on Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2024) by hosting 21 community kit packing events in 17 locations across North America in partnership with the United Way. More than 1,200 BMO employee volunteers assembled nearly 11,000 care kits based on the needs of the communities where they were distributed – including hygiene kits, cold weather kits, literacy kits, and snack packs – all benefiting United Way and/or United Way partner agencies.

For more information on BMO's community-focused activity corporate social responsibility, please visit: https://our-impact.bmo.com/ 

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¹ The $31 million is the total of donations made in local currency by BMO employees.

² The $18 million is the total of donations made in local currency by BMO.

³ The $49 million is the total of all donations made in local currency.

BMO's Partnership with United Way

BMO is a long-time partner of United Way in its mission to support agencies that build and directly serve neighbourhoods throughout North America. With its unique capability to identify needs and support wide-reaching front-line programs, United Way is reducing economic disparities and joins BMO in driving real progress in the communities we serve. 

BMO Gives. Good grows here. 

Helping communities thrive by supporting the organizations that sustain them and encouraging employee giving and volunteerism is at the heart of BMO's Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. In 2023, our social impact included more than $84 million donated to hundreds of charities and non-profit organizations across North America to help drive progress by enabling individuals to thrive and communities to prosper. Our colleagues spent almost 62,000 hours volunteering in the community and contributed more than $31 million of donations through our annual employee giving program. For more information, please visit BMO.com. 

About BMO Financial Group 

BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.41 trillion as of October 31, 2024. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to 13 million customers across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and inclusive society. 

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media Contact: Kate Simandl, Toronto, [email protected], [phone]