News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 19, 2013) - Two key figures in BMO's ongoing efforts to be a leader in environmental sustainability, Jim Johnston and Ula Ubani, were honoured today by being named to Canada's 2014 Clean50 list. Canada's Clean50 Awards are announced annually by Delta Management Group to recognize those 50 individuals or small teams, from 16 different categories, who have done the most to advance the cause of sustainability and clean capitalism in Canada over the past two years (www.clean50.com).

Jim Johnston, BMO's Director, Environmental Sustainability & Compliance, has been honoured for his efforts to reduce emissions related to the bank's buildings and infrastructure. Ula Ubani, BMO's Director of Environmental, Social and Governance, has been named to the list for her efforts on how the bank manages emerging global sustainability issues related to its businesses.

"It is quite simple - as members of this global community, we have a responsibility to contribute to protecting and conserving what we have, while inspiring others to do the same," said Simon Fish, Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, BMO Financial Group and Chair of the bank's Sustainability Council. "At BMO, our goal is to lead by example, providing a model and setting standards for others to follow. Jim and Ula have been an integral part of our efforts to do just that. On behalf of everyone at BMO, I congratulate them for this special honour and their leadership - which reflects well on all of us at the bank."

BMO and Sustainability

BMO achieved enterprise-wide carbon neutrality relative to its energy consumption and transportation emissions in August 2010. This goal was achieved by reducing and limiting emissions from transportation and energy use, purchasing electricity from renewable energy sources and buying carbon credits to offset the remaining emissions. In 2012, BMO achieved its latest emissions reduction target of 10 per cent of absolute enterprise carbon emission versus 2011 baseline levels.

BMO is one of the initial investors in the Greening Canada Fund (GCF), the first-ever voluntary carbon emissions reduction fund aimed exclusively at large Canadian corporations. The fund provides direct access to high-quality carbon offset credits and helps BMO support Canadian-based energy efficiency projects in Canadian public schools, hospitals and community housing. BMO's initial investment commitment in the fund was $10 million.

BMO's success to date in managing sustainability issues has earned it a position on several key sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index, the Jantzi Social Index and the FTSE4Good Series Index. BMO is also included on the Maclean's/Jantzi-Sustainalytics list of the Top 50 Socially Responsible Corporations in Canada and Corporate Knights Magazine's Best 50 Corporate Citizens.

BMO's Environmental, Social and Governance Report (ESG) and Public Accountability Statement outlines how BMO manages the ESG impacts of its business. The ESG can be downloaded at http://www.bmo.com/home/about/banking/corporate-responsibility/our-approach/reporting#esg_pas.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified North American financial services organization. With total assets of $549 billion as at July 31, 2013, and more than 46,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions.