RBC releases 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report and Public Accountability Statement

TORONTO, March 12, 2012 /CNW/ - RBC has released its 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report and Public Accountability Statement, containing an overview of RBC's economic impact, business and workplace practices, and its impact on society and the environment. A short summary of the report, the Corporate Responsibility Review, is available in print, and the full Report is available as a downloadable PDF on rbc.com.

RBC highlights from 2011 include:

• Provided employment to approximately 74,000 people worldwide in full- and part-time positions;
  
  
• Expanded branch and ATM networks (the largest in Canada), as well as extended hours, providing even better access for Canadians;
  
  
• Powered 134 retail branches with EcoLogo‡-certified green power, representing nearly 10 per cent of our Canadian retail branch portfolio;
  
  
• Traded over 90 million tonnes of carbon credits through RBC Capital Markets;
  
  
• Provided financing to clean energy sector for hydroelectric, wind, biomass and solar projects;
  
  
• Committed $7.6 million in RBC Blue Water Project grants globally to support watershed protection and access to clean drinking water;
  
  
• Contributed $98 million to community causes worldwide, through donations of $64 million, and an additional $34 million in sponsorship of community events and national organizations.

The Corporate Responsibility Review, Annual Report to Shareholders and Proxy Circular are all "carbon neutral." This is one of 44 commitments from the RBC Environmental Blueprint, launched in 2007 to help the company become more sustainable and reduce its environmental impact. Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions associated with the production and distribution of the Corporate Responsibility Review have been neutralized through the purchase and retirement of certified emission reductions (CERs) acquired through the RBC Capital Markets' emissions trading group.

The 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report is available online at rbc.com, and a summary version of the report is available in print at RBC branches. RBC has produced annual Corporate Responsibility Reports since 1999.

RBC is listed on the 2011-2012 Dow Jones Sustainability Index, recognizing the world's financial, social and environmental corporate leaders, as well as the Jantzi Social Index, the FTSE4Good Index and the Canadian Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index 2011. The company was recently named to the "Global 100: Most Sustainable Corporations in the World" 2012 list.

For further information:

Jackie Braden, RBC Brand Communications, 416-974-1724, [email protected]