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TORONTO, ONTARIO and DAVOS, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwired - Jan. 22, 2014) - BMO Financial Group was today named to the Global 100 - a list of the most sustainable corporations in the world. BMO was the highest-ranked North American financial institution on the list. The announcement was made during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Global 100 - an annual project initiated by Corporate Knights Inc. - is the world's most extensive data-driven corporate sustainability assessment. Inclusion is limited to a select group of the top 100 large-cap companies in the world.

"All of us at BMO are extremely honoured by our inclusion in this select group of international companies," said Bill Downe, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group. "We strive to lead by example, and this recognition underlines the emphasis we place on relevant environmental, social and governance disclosure. These considerations are, and will continue to be, integral to our business. The customers of the bank expect no less - and it's what we expect of ourselves."

BMO and Sustainability

BMO has earned a position on several key sustainability indices, including: 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 and Public Accountability Statement (ESG Report/PAS) outlines how we manage the ESG items that matter most to our business, and features a Scorecard which details supporting year over year metrics. The ESG Report/PAS is available at: www.bmo.com/esg-pas-report. The new edition for 2013, will be available in February.

Highlights:

• BMO Capital Markets was involved in raising approximately $1.8 billion of equity and debt in the capital markets for entities active in renewable energy across North America
• BMO Harris Bank made US$536,746,000 in community development loans to support economic development, community service and quality affordable housing for low- to moderate-income families in the U.S.
• BMO has adopted a Board Diversity Policy, which includes the goal of having no fewer than one third of both genders on the Board
• BMO contributed more than $56 million in donations to non-profit organizations across North America in 2013
• BMO has maintained its carbon neutral status since 2010. It recently met its goal - stated in 2012 - of further reducing absolute enterprise carbon emissions from energy use and business travel by ten per cent, four years ahead of schedule

BMO's Corporate Responsibility Report, a companion piece to the ESG Report/PAS, illustrates the way we conduct our business, what we stand for, and the commitments we've made to our customers and the communities where we operate. The report is available on our website at: www.bmo.com/corporateresponsibility.

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 $537 billion as at October 31, 2013, and more than 45,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions.

To view the methodology used to determine the 2014 Global 100, visit: http://global100.org/methodology/.