- New Innovation Hub provides youth with the opportunity to
connect with BMO leaders and discuss their vision for a sustainable
future
- Fourth year participating in Plan International Canada's
Girls Belong Here program, fostering leadership opportunities for
young women
TORONTO and CHICAGO, Oct. 6,
2021 /CNW/ - Leading up to International Day of the Girl on
October 11, BMO Financial Group is
showing its ongoing support through a series of initiatives to
encourage young women on the path to leadership and backing the
goal of achieving a sustainable future.
Plan International Canada's Girls Belong Here program places
young women in positions of leadership, power, and influence for a
day. One year into BMO's five-year Zero Barriers to Inclusion
Strategy, International Day of the Girl reminds us of the continued
importance of amplifying girls' voices, advocating for their
rights, evaluating their position in society and reinforcing their
capacity as decision-makers.
"Going into our fourth year participating in Girls Belong
Here, we are continuously inspired by these young women who are
powerhouses of innovation, inspiration and drive," said
Karen Collins, Chief Talent Officer,
BMO Financial Group. "Fostering inclusion in the corporate world
begins by setting our future leaders up for success and allowing
them to realize their full potential. We are proud to support
Girls Belong Here and as we celebrate International Day of
the Girl; we continue to fulfil our Purpose to boldly grow the
good, working towards our goal of zero barriers to inclusion."
As well, in line with BMO's announcement towards transitioning
to a net zero world, BMO celebrates International Day of the Girl
by reaffirming its commitment to a sustainable future.
Annual Seat Share with BMO's General Counsel, Sharon Haward-Laird
In this year's Seat Share, Sharon
Haward-Laird, BMO General Counsel will offer up her role to
youth program participant, Riti*.
"The Girls Belong Here program is very dear to my heart
because it champions values of gender equity and youth empowerment,
both themes inspiring my long-term involvement with Plan
International Canada," said Riti*, Plan Canada's, Girls Belong
Here participant. "The seat share program with BMO will allow
me to gain an intimate look into an industry I hope to pursue a
career in, make my voice heard at a table where impactful decisions
are made, and consider the importance of nurturing community
relations at all levels of influence to enact change both locally
and globally."
Riti, 19, is a second year Bachelor of Arts student at the
University of British Columbia where
she is pursuing a major in gender studies and a minor in law and
society. She is originally from Saskatchewan where she is an honoured guest on
Treaty 6 territory. She is passionate about social, environmental
and economic justice which has paved the way for her advocacy and
activism.
BMO Innovation Hub "A Just Transition"
New this year, BMO hosted an interactive ThinkTank inspiring
youth to work towards a sustainable future. Last week, BMO provided
seven young people an opportunity to consult and share their
perspective on sustainability related issues and hear from experts
in the industry. Facilitated by BMO's Sustainability team, the
event featured a three-part discussion followed by a networking
session where youth could connect and share concerns and questions.
Coming out of the discussion, important issues were raised and
discussed but one participant, Rhea*, captured the importance of
this program by saying "mentorship allows for you to extend your
hand down and bring other women up."
The conversation is now being developed into a podcast,
available October 7th,
framed around the three discussions. The participants discussed
what sustainability and a sustainable future means to them, why our
current system for energy is not "just," and the growing necessity
to respond to the needs of women and marginalized groups.
Barrier Breakers
Women business owners are paving the way for the next generation
of girls. The face of leadership is changing in the business
community and BMO is working as catalyst for the next generation of
girls who want to own their own businesses.
As International Day of the Girl nears, BMO will evolve its
social media content series about women business owners. The
updated content will tell women's stories of what it means to them
to serve as an inspiration to the next generation of young women
leaders.
BMO Women Leaders Paving the Way
- For many years, BMO leaders have been named as WXN's
Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top
100, including the past five consecutive years.
- American Banker named Ernie
Johannson, Group Head, North American Personal and Business
Banking, to its list of the Most Powerful Women in Banking;
Tracie Morris, U.S. Chief Human
Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer, was recognized in
the same publication as a "Standout'.
-
- Last year, Shaheena Khan was
named to American Banker's list of the Most Powerful Women in
Banking: NEXT.
- Gina Jeneroux, Chief Learning
Officer, BMO Financial Group, received the Learning Leader of the
Year award from Learning Performance Institute (LPI) in
2020.
BMO's ongoing commitment to gender equality
Beyond International Day of the Girl, additional initiatives and
highlights of BMO's work to advance gender equality include:
- BMO sustained gender equity position with a range of 40 to 60
per cent representation of women in senior leadership roles, as per
its Zero Barriers to Inclusion 2025 diversity goals.
- BMO pledged $200,000 in
grants to recognize 26 women-owned businesses across
North America for their
contribution to social, environmental and/or economic
sustainability outcomes through their organizations' policies,
practices or products.
- Launched a $750 million Women in
Business Bond solution with proceeds being allocated toward
women-owned enterprises as defined in BMO's Sustainable Financing
Framework, including micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
- BMO Expanded Grant Program for Women-Owned Businesses
Across North America.
- Announced $1.2 million in funding
to SheEO – a not-for-profit company which offers financial
support to businesses led by women and non-binary people. BMO's
financial commitment will allow SheEO to fund all 2021 venture
applicant companies working to achieve the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals.
- BMO partnered with Prosperity Project to drive insights on
women in leadership.
- BMO recognized for 6th year in a row by Bloomberg's
Gender-Equality Index.
- BMO listed among Equileap's top 100 gender-equal companies
around the world in its 2021 Gender Equality Global Report &
Ranking.
- Recognized in 2021 Report on Business Women Lead Here
list.
- BMO Harris Bank appeared on Forbes' America's Best Employers
For Diversity 2021 for the third year in a row.
- Dedicated BMO website, BMO for Women, provided tools and
educational resources for women entrepreneurs, including podcast
series Bold(h)er.
- The bank is committed to doubling its industry-leading support
for women entrepreneurs as part of its Purpose commitments.
- In 2020, BMO committed US$300
million for small business lending to expand resources for
women — Black and Latinx-owned small businesses in the U.S., as
part of its BMO EMpower initiative and within this commitment added
a new BMO Women in Business Credit Program across its full
footprint.
- BMO Harris Bank launched WMN•FINtech in 2020, a mentoring
program for women-led fintech start-ups and the latest evolution of
the BMO Harris /1871 Innovation Program, designed to give more
women entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring cutting-edge
technology and products forward.
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 $971 billion as of
July 31, 2021, 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.
*Program participant last names are not included for
confidentiality reasons
SOURCE BMO Financial Group