*In 2024, National Bank received the Platinum Parity Certification for a fifth consecutive year. This honour from Women in Governance celebrates and recognizes our commitment and our ongoing efforts to achieve parity within our organization.
Take action for a more inclusive future today
Discover our inclusion, diversity and equity initiatives
An inclusive, diverse and equitable culture
Our approach
Inclusion, diversity and equity (IDE) are an integral part of National Bank’s culture. These values guide our actions and contribute directly to fostering well-being, success and pride in our teams.
Our priorities
- Commit to creating a more inclusive culture.
- Build diverse teams that are representative of society.
- Be a social player in promoting inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility for employees, clients, suppliers, and the communities we serve.
Our guiding principles
- Demonstrate curiosity and value our differences.
- Adapt our work methods to ensure everyone has an equitable experience.
- Eliminate obstacles and roll out intentional equity measures.
A word from our President and Chief Executive Officer
Taking action for a more inclusive future will require us to demonstrate conviction and perseverance over the coming years, and we are firmly committed to it. We believe diversity powers our performance and, even more importantly, fosters employee well-being, success, engagement and pride.
Through the work of our dynamic employee resource groups and the actions we take every day with employees, clients and the communities we serve, we are determined to have a positive impact on people’s lives at the Bank and in society at large.
- Laurent Ferreira, President and Chief Executive Officer
Our employees represent 150 countries and speak 65 different
languages. We’re proud to say that cultural diversity is our
strength.
As part of Canadian Multiculturalism Day, celebrated
on June 27, National Bank highlighted the invaluable contributions of
various cultural communities that enrich our organization and help
build a vibrant and inclusive society in Canada.
We also
introduced the Welcome Aboard pairing program, which connects
newly-arrived employees in Canada with a colleague who can support
them in adapting to life in their new country and their role at
National Bank.
Our commitment to change
Under the leadership of our dedicated team and our IDE Council, our actions are supported by squads in all lines of business and by the active contributions of our employee resource groups (ERGs), which play an essential role in creating an inclusive and respectful culture.
I’m proud to support the Financial Markets Diversity Scholarship Program for university students who want to pursue a career in Financial Markets. In addition to the scholarship, recipients benefit from a paid internship and access to a mentor.
Nicole Miller
Through my involvement in ERGs, I collaborate with my colleagues to create welcoming spaces for conversation on such topics as sexual orientation and gender diversity and roll out financial and business literacy initiatives to help Spanish-speaking communities.
Enrique Iriarte
With the Black Professional Network, I am proud to have participated in the hackathon focused on career development for Black professionals. This collective initiative has allowed us to roll out concrete measures to remove obstacles in all Bank sectors.
Marie-Thérèse Djeugo
Together with my family and my colleagues, I was able to participate in the River of Pride parade in Moncton and other initiatives in my region that promote cultural differences. These experiences were very enriching. Inclusion results from an ongoing conscious effort to be open to others and create work environments free from micro‑aggressions and micro‑oppressions.
David Michaud
To support employees who are newcomers to Canada, our “Welcome aboard” onboarding and mentorship program provides a safe space for participants to discuss their experiences in Canada and at National Bank so they can better understand our culture, values and day-to-day life.
Siham Lahouiou
National Bank has revised its accommodations process to make it simpler and more accessible. To start, a doctor’s note is no longer needed to start a conversation on this topic. This allows everyone to give their best while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Charles Vallières-Gingras
Building a more inclusive future
Women
Discover our initiatives to support women and break barriers.
Accessibility
We are pursuing our progress in terms of accessibility, and we’re fully invested in improving our practices.
Indigenous peoples
We’re proud to maintain close ties with Indigenous communities from coast-to-coast.
Communities
Every year, many of our team’s active employees and retirees take action to have a positive impact on their communities.
Previous publication 2023 Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Booklet
Little details that matter
hi my name is Yousef i'm from Morocco i speak French English and Arabic
i'm French and Inuk from the Nunovic community of Kangiqsujuaq Quebec
i'm Italian i speak English French and Italian
i come from Haiti
i speak English Spanish and French
i am a Canadian and a Quebecer of Scottish descent
i am part of the generation of Canadian born Vietnamese
i speak Telugu Hindi English and a little bit of French
integrity and family make me proud
open mindess and sharing make me proud
resiliency and respect to learning matters to me most
being socially engaged and generosity make me proud
i've worked at the bank since 2023
the welcome aboard program was a real breath of fresh air during my integration in Canada
i was lucky enough to meet with Jean-Christophe we had very simple and direct conversation
we talked about everything that was important to me from winter activities to lighter topics such as music or Canadian culture
we created bonds during these discussions that helped me to quickly feel welcome and understood
i felt welcome during my on boarding and it transformed my arrival into a warm experience
my name is Jean-Christophe and I have worked at the National Bank since 2010
thanks to my role as a partner in the welcome aboard program my journey has been punctuated with enriching experiences and unforgettable moments of sharing
this program has not only allowed me to guide and support a new colleague at the bank but also to grow as a person
i was impressed of how rich our conversations were with Farah each meeting was an opportunity to discover new horizons but also to understand perspective that are very different from mine