NEO Rings the Bell for Gender Equality in Honour of International Women's Day

NEO is proud to take part in the collaboration of more than 100 stock exchanges around the world to "Ring the Bell for Gender Equality" in celebration of International Women's Day 2021. Now in its seventh consecutive year, the initiative is a partnership between the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, UN Women, the World Federation of Exchanges, and Women in ETFs to bring attention to the pivotal role the private sector can play in advancing gender equality and women's economic empowerment.

Building on its existing commitment as one of the first Canadian corporations to sign a CEO Statement of Support for the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in 2019, NEO has now announced that it has become a Founding Partner of The Prosperity Project^TM, a not-for-profit organization conceived by a diverse group of more than 60 female leaders across Canada, working to address gender and racial inequity to create a society with zero barriers. Jos Schmitt, President and CEO of NEO, has also joined the board of directors of The Prosperity Project.

"Fairness is one of the foundational values that drive everything we do at NEO. Not only because it is the right way to operate, but because we believe it leads to better outcomes for everyone. It is no different when it comes to diversity and inclusion in our corporations and in our society, as a whole," commented Mr. Schmitt. "The Prosperity Project recognizes that women and girls, especially those in BIPOC communities, have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 - erasing much of the progress achieved over the past couple of decades - and is actively seeking to address it. We firmly stand by the mission of this incredible organization, not only as an employer, but as a member of the community and a leader in the Canadian capital markets landscape. We look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of equality and activating real change in support of diversity and inclusion. We encourage all our customers, partners, and competitors to join us in those efforts."

"I am absolutely delighted to welcome Jos to the board of directors for The Prosperity Project," added Pamela Jeffery, Founder and CEO of The Prosperity Project. "As an active and vocal champion of diversity and female empowerment, Jos brings his influence, insights, and steady support to the table. Afterall, gender equality isn't just a women's rights issue. It's a human rights issue. And welcoming NEO as a Founding Partner of The Prosperity Project is truly icing on the cake. They join the ranks of a stellar group of other Partners, including KPMG, BMO, RBC, and TELUS - all of whom are working tirelessly to execute our initiatives in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian women and ensure female representation at the leadership level of Canadian organizations."

About NEO Exchange

NEO Exchange is a progressive stock exchange that brings together investors and capital raisers within a fair, efficient, and service-oriented environment. Fully operational since June 2015, NEO puts investors first and provides access to trading all Canadian-listed securities on a level playing field. The NEO Exchange lists senior companies and investment products seeking a stock exchange that enables investor trust, quality liquidity, and broad awareness including unfettered access to market data.

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About The Prosperity Project

Launched in May 2020, The Prosperity Project is a volunteer driven, non-profit organization conceived by a diverse group of 62 female leaders from across the country ? women who have historically made a difference and are committed to continuing to promote positive change as active participants in The Prosperity Project. The organization was founded and is being led by Pamela Jeffery, founder of the Women's Executive Network and Canadian Board Diversity Council. The Prosperity Project is taking action to explicitly link women and prosperity, underscoring the economic importance of gender equality during the COVID-19 recovery.

Connect with The Prosperity Project: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook