TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2020 /CNW/ - BMO Financial Group today
announced it has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality
Index (GEI) for the fifth year in a row. The global index
recognizes companies committed to gender equality and inclusivity
within the workplace and the community, and publicly demonstrates
each company's commitment to equality and advancing women. This
year, the index has expanded to include nearly 6,000 companies
across 84 countries.
"Our global leadership in the area of gender inclusion is
reflective of BMO's focus on building an inclusive society with
zero barriers to inclusion," said Mona
Malone, Chief Human Resources Officer & Head, People
& Culture at BMO Financial Group. "Our purpose to Boldly Grow
the Good in business and life compels our actions in this space,
and we thank Bloomberg for the recognition of these efforts for the
fifth year in a row."
"We're also responding to the call for action with women
entrepreneurs. This award celebrates our commitment to women
business owners, to gender equality within our workforce and
inclusive economic opportunity in our communities, which contribute
to strengthening the economy on a local and global scale," adds
Joanna Rotenberg, Group Head, BMO
Wealth Management, BMO Financial Group.
BMO Financial Group is committed to diversity and inclusion
through several initiatives including:
Fostering women in leadership
- BMO is committed to gender equality in its workplace. That's
why for the past five years, women continue make up 40 per cent of
its senior leaders, while a third of its board members are also
women.
- BMO Alliance for Women, BMO's largest Enterprise Resource
Group, with over 3,000 members, is dedicated to championing the
inclusion, connection, development, advancement, and support of
women for the betterment of BMO's business, communities and
culture.
- In 2019, BMO announced that by 2025 it will double the bank's
industry leading support for women entrepreneurs, including
increasing the team of dedicated business relationship
managers.
Providing support and resources
- BMO is a leader in its commitment to supporting and empowering
women entrepreneurs and investors:
-
- In 2019, BMO, in partnership with the Government of
Canada, committed to designing and
delivering a training program for women's organizations across
Canada to improve their strategic
and financial planning. The webcasts were available at no cost to
all women's organizations nationally, including those that applied
under the Department for Women and Gender Equality's
Capacity-building Fund.
- Supporting women entrepreneurs' access to credit to grow their
businesses – In 2018, it announced $3
billion in capital would be available over three years for
Canadian businesses owned by women, which will also create new jobs
and strengthen communities.
- BMO for Women connects female investors and business owners to
support, advice and tools – BMO for Women is a first of its kind
team dedicated to developing an understanding of the wealth and
business needs of women, and supporting them with digital tools,
research sponsorships of organizations, and more.
Empowering women in the community
- BMO is committed to closing the fairness gap giving women
everywhere the opportunity to be leaders, catalyzers and
builders—and grow the good for themselves and their
communities:
-
- In 2019 BMO was the first Canadian bank to sign the UN Women's
Empowerment Principles, an initiative launched in 2010 by UN Women
and the UNGC, which offers a platform to mobilize business action
for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs).
- For the past two years BMO was the lead sponsor of Plan
International Canada's "Girls Belong Here" initiative inspired by
International Day of the Girl. During this program 12 young women
shadowed BMO executives in Canada,
the U.S. and the U.K which showcased different career opportunities
within the organization for future women leaders.
- BMO Celebrating Women – BMO celebrates successful women who
have given back to their communities or achieved success in
business. Since 2012, BMO Celebrating Women has honoured more than
170 women in communities across Canada and the
United States.
About BMO Financial Group
Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly
diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by
assets, in North America. With total assets of $852
billion as of October 31, 2019, and a team of diverse and
highly engaged 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, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital
Markets.
SOURCE BMO Financial Group