National Bank Presents its 2014 Social Responsibility Report

MONTREAL, March 10, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - National Bank is proud to release its 2014 Social Responsibility Report. The report summarizes what the Bank has done in the past fiscal year to affirm its commitment to its clients, its employees, the community and the environment. It showcases another year of solid performance, highlighted by the following achievements:

Focusing on client experience

• The Bank expanded its offering of mobile banking solutions with the development of two new apps for tablets: NBC mobile banking and MyIdea.
• It continued to innovate with the opening of the Do-It-Yourself Investors Zone, a storefront mini-branch completely dedicated to self-directed investment activities, and InvestCube^®, its new turnkey solution for self-directed investors.
• The Bank's efforts to enhance the client experience earned it recognition in two categories of Ipsos Reid's 2014 Best Banking Awards in Canada, namely ATM Banking Excellence and Automated Telephone Banking Excellence.

Ranking among Canada's top employers

• In 2014, the series of events offered through the National Tour, a new annual initiative, created unique opportunities for employees and members of senior management to meet and connect.
• A new group was created for Generation Y employees: Connexion, the fourth of the Bank's internal networks.
• National Bank was recognized as an outstanding employer in several prestigious rankings, including the 50 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt), the Best Employers in Quebec (Aon Hewitt) and Montreal's Top Employers (Mediacorp Canada).

Helping communities to grow and thrive

• Through its One for Youth program, the Bank again showed its commitment to helping young people achieve their full potential. For the second edition of the program, the One for Youth Regional Committees selected 175 organizations to share $1 million to carry out inspiring youth projects.
• Our support of the next generation of business owners continued thanks to agreements geared to stimulating entrepreneurship. For instance, the Bank helped create or expand a number of entrepreneurial expertise centres that will foster innovation in the field.

Taking innovative approaches to environment management

• In 2014, the Bank entered into a new partnership to optimize its environmental management practices by joining the Espace québécois de concertation sur les pratiques d'approvisionnement responsable (ECPAR).
• The Bank also issued the first green bond to fund a public-private partnership in North America.

More information on the many causes and projects National Bank supports as part of its commitment to the communities it serves can be found in our Social Responsibility Report. It is available on our website at nbc.ca/socialresponsibility, in our branches and via TelNat customer service (1-888-4-TelNat).

About National Bank of Canada
With $214 billion in assets as at January 31, 2015, National Bank of Canada (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 number provided below is for the exclusive use of journalists and other media representatives.): Catherine Deshaies, Advisor - Public Affairs, National Bank, Tel.: [phone]