National Bank Releases its First Report on Environmental, Social and Governance Advances

Signature of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles

National Bank is proud to present its first Report on Environmental, Social and Governance Advances (ESG Report) for the year 2019. The report is intended for all Bank stakeholders. It outlines the Bank's commitments and achievements in sustainable development as well as its key performance indicators.

The 2019 ESG report is available at nbc.ca/socialresponsibility.

A few highlights

• In 2019, the Board of Directors approved a sustainable development framework and set of guiding principles that inspire our thoughts and actions.

• National Bank became a founding signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking. It is one of the first North American financial institutions to make this commitment.

• National Bank Investments became a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a driving force behind responsible investing.

• Our employees have created a Positive Impact Environment squad as well as a network of eco-ambassadors across the Bank. Members encourage their colleagues to participate in Bank activities and initiatives for the environment.

• As part of its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, the Bank has stopped purchasing single-use water bottles.

• With four issues of sustainable bonds in 2019, totalling nearly $1.2 billion, the Bank was able to finance or refinance, in whole or in part, a number of sustainability projects.

• The Bank reaffirmed its role as a generalist donor, with tens of millions of dollars donated to help the community, including nearly $13 million in corporate donations.
   

Signature of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles

The Bank also announced that it has become a signatory of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, which promote gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. This initiative encourages companies to review their existing policies and practices to help women participate fully in economic life.

Human Rights Statement

National Bank's Human Rights Statement has been published online. This document sets out the Bank's commitments to respecting human rights and freedoms, including its commitment to creating and maintaining a safe, healthy work environment that is free from all forms of discrimination, harassment and intimidation.

COVID-19: National Bank's commitment to its employees

As a responsible employer, National Bank is doing everything it can to help its employees during these uncertain times. It recently published a document outlining the measures it has adopted to protect employees' health and help them deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.