BMO Named to the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World for Fourth Straight Year

TORONTO, ONTARIO and CHICAGO, ILLINOIS and DAVOS, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwired - Jan. 17, 2017) - For the fourth year in a row, BMO Financial Group has been named to the Global 100 - reinforcing its position as one of the most sustainable corporations in the world. The announcement was made during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

The Global 100 index of the most sustainable corporations - an annual project initiated by Corporate Knights Inc. - is the world's most extensive data-driven assessment of corporate sustainability. 

"We're honoured to be included again in this select group, and to have risen in the rankings," said Simon Fish, General Counsel for BMO Financial Group, and Chair of BMO's Sustainability Council. "As a responsibly managed bank, we consider social, economic and environmental impacts as we pursue sustainable growth. It's important to us that we meet the needs of the present without losing sight of how to meet the needs of future generations."

BMO's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report and Public Accountability Statement (PAS) outlines the most material ESG issues as identified by our stakeholders and the bank. Our sustainability performance metrics are listed in our ESG Scorecard. The ESG Report/PAS is available at: www.bmo.com/esg-pas-report. The new edition for 2016 will be available in February.

2016 Sustainability Highlights:

• BMO has created Responsible Investment products that contribute to broader societal/environmental goals:
  • BMO was the first Canadian bank to launch an impact investing mutual fund focused on gender diversity - the BMO Women in Leadership Fund, launched in April 2016.
  • The BMO Fossil Fuel Free Fund aims to provide long-term growth of capital by investing in a globally diversified portfolio of equity securities that excludes companies primarily involved in extracting and refining fossil fuels.
  • BMO was the first Canadian bank to launch a principal protected note linked to an environmental, social and governance-themed index - the BMO Environmental, Social & Governance Index.
• BMO is doing its part to tackle Climate Change:
  • BMO has attained and maintained Carbon Neutrality across the enterprise since 2010.
  • In F2016 BMO raised approximately $2.4 billion of equity and debt in the capital markets for entities active in renewable energy power generation in North America and had approximately $3.6 billion of lending capital committed to the sector globally.
• BMO has taken a public stand on board diversity:
  • BMO's Board Diversity Policy ensures equal opportunity to qualify for board membership.
  • Currently 36.4% of BMO's independent board members are women.
  • BMO was a founding signatory of the Catalyst Accord in Canada, in 2013.
• BMO is recognized as an industry-leader:
  • Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2016/17)
  • 2016 Bloomberg Financial Services Gender-Equality Index
  • Corporate Knights Magazine's Best 50 Corporate Citizens.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817, and currently marking its 200th year of operations, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of $688 billion as of October 31, 2016, and more than 45,000 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, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.