CIBC's 2013 Corporate Responsibility Report and Public Accountability Statement now available

TORONTO, March 10, 2014 /CNW/ - CIBC (TSX:CM) (NYSE:CM) announced today that its 2013 Corporate Responsibility Report and Public Accountability Statement, summarizing its commitment to stakeholders and highlighting the activities it is undertaking to enhance its economic, environmental, social and governance impacts is now available online at https://www.cibc.com/ca/cibc-and-you/public-account.html.

"For CIBC, corporate responsibility is integral to the way we think about and manage our business," said Sharon Mathers, Senior Vice-President, Communications and Public Affairs. "We recognize that the long-term success and viability of CIBC is closely linked to the confidence and trust our clients and stakeholders have in our organization."

"We invested more than $41 million this past year to support many charitable organizations across Canada. In addition to this, as title sponsor of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, Team CIBC helped raise $27 million through the 2013 event. Furthermore our employees and the bank gave a record $11.1 million to the 2012 United Way campaign, and raised a record $4.5 million for the 2012 CIBC Miracle Day in support of children's charities. Through their personal commitments of time and money, our employees have helped CIBC make a real difference in our communities," said Ms. Mathers.

CIBC demonstrates environmental responsibility with ongoing initiatives to minimize its impact on the environment, to promote environmental stewardship practices and to support strategically aligned environmental organizations. And, CIBC's corporate values of Trust, Teamwork and Accountability guides CIBC's commitment to good governance - doing the right thing and acting with integrity.

CIBC's benchmarks for measuring progress are the international indices that assess corporate responsibility efforts. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index, FTSE4Good and Jantzi Social Index are three such indices. CIBC is proud to be longstanding constituents of each.

CIBC continues to report on its corporate responsibility performance through an economic, environmental, social and governance (EESG) framework. Our focus at CIBC continues to be providing accessible and affordable banking to Canadians, advancing the goals of small business, creating an environment where all employees can excel, making a real difference in our communities, and protecting our environment.

CIBC is proud to be recognized as:

• The strongest bank in Canada and North America and the third-strongest bank in the world by Bloomberg Markets magazine;
• One of Canada's Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc.;
• One of Canada's Best Workplaces by the Great Place to Work® Institute; and
• One of Canada's Best 50 Corporate Citizens by Corporate Knights.

Printed copies of the report can be obtained upon request by email at [email protected].

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 11 million personal banking and business clients. CIBC is committed to supporting causes that matter to our clients, our employees and our communities. We aim to make a difference in communities through corporate donations, sponsorships and the volunteer spirit of employees. With a strategic focus on Kids, Cures and Community, and employee commitment to causes, including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, the CIBC Children's Foundation and United Way, we are investing in the social and economic development of communities across the country. In 2013, CIBC contributed more than $41 million to 1,870 charitable and non-profit initiatives in over 430 communities. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Media Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.

SOURCE: CIBC

Erica Belling, Communications & Public Affairs [phone] or [email protected]