National Bank Named One of Canada's "Best 50 Corporate Citizens"

MONTREAL, June 4, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - National Bank is proud to announce that it has been named to the Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada list published by Corporate Knights magazine. This prestigious annual ranking, now in its 14th year, recognizes corporations that stand out for their social and environmental performance and for the quality of their governance practices.

For many years, National Bank has actively pursued various initiatives aimed at building long-term prosperity for all Canadians, which have led to a number of important achievements. In addition to implementing an award-winning energy efficiency program, the Bank has achieved carbon neutral status and obtained several LEED certifications. It was also the first bank in North America to issue a green bond to fund a public-private partnership. In 2014, the Bank's efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and expand its role in financing renewable energy projects led to its being named one of the World's Greenest Banks by Bloomberg Markets magazine for the third year in a row. 

National Bank is also a Canada-wide leader in terms of the representation of women in management, with 42% of management positions and 44% of director positions being held by women. This demonstrates how its commitment to gender diversity has become a well-established reality within the organization.

Through its operations, the Bank paid over $650 million in taxes and other contributions to the various levels of government in Canada in the past fiscal year, thereby delivering continued economic and social benefits to communities across the country. It reports on its commitments to stakeholders in its annual Social Responsibility Report, which can be downloaded from the Bank's website at nbc.ca/socialresponsibility.

The methodology for the Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada list is based on 12 key performance indicators. Corporations are assessed according to their impact on the environment and various social indicators, including leadership diversity, innovation capacity and employee turnover.

About National Bank of Canada
With $207 billion in assets as at April 30, 2015, National Bank of Canada (www.nbc.ca), together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups. The Bank has more than 20,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank's activities via social media and learn more about its extensive community involvement at clearfacts.ca and commitment.nationalbank.ca.

SOURCE National Bank of Canada

(The telephone numbers provided below are for the exclusive use of journalists and other media representatives.): Catherine Deshaies, Advisor - Public Affairs, National Bank, Tel.: [phone]