Team BMO Pledges $26M in 2021 - Reaching Milestone $200M Mark to United Way and Charitable Partners Over the Past Decade

BMO Employees and United Way Helping to Build Back Stronger – Powering the Good, Together

• BMO-wide, 11^th annual Employee Giving Campaign hits milestone of over $200 million pledged cumulatively during decade-long employee-driven campaign
• $26 million and counting for 2021, 90 per cent employee participation

TORONTO, QUEBEC and CHICAGO, Dec. 21, 2021 /CNW/ - To support a more inclusive future, BMO employees across North America have come together to fuel positive change through the 11^th annual Employee Giving Campaign. In addition, this year, BMO has made $66.3 million in corporate donations for 2021.

BMO's 2021 Employee Ambassadors (CNW Group/BMO Financial Group)

Since late November, 90 per cent of BMO employees have pledged over $26 million to the United Way and other organizations. Not only did BMO exceed this year's giving target by millions, the campaign also included added generosity from an extraordinary donor, business leader, pioneering philanthropist and BMO retiree, Donald K. Johnson, who gifted an additional $7 million this year. With major gifts still being collected, the donations are geared to address the disproportionate impacts on those facing unemployment, food insecurity, and homelessness, all exacerbated by the pandemic.

"The level of personal giving we see among our employees each year is testament to the power of our Purpose," said Darryl White, CEO of BMO Financial Group and Centraide of Greater Montreal 2021 Campaign Co-Chair. "BMO employees have responded very clearly to the call to power the good and help close the fairness gap in our society by harnessing the momentum of the economic recovery to make progress. I also want to recognize Don Johnson's extraordinary philanthropy – the impact he makes with his generosity is profound. All of us at BMO are honoured to once again support United Way and the many charitable partners who are building a more inclusive society."

With an ongoing commitment to foster a more just society with zero barriers to inclusion, BMO's employees have come together to seize the once-in-a-generation opportunity to address economic disparity in this unprecedented moment of societal change.

"Over the years, BMO – both the corporation and its people – have been among United Way's strongest allies. Never has that partnership been more important nor more appreciated than now," said Daniele Zanotti, President & CEO, United Way Greater Toronto. "Not only are we working to support our community through this crisis and deepest need, but also putting our shoulder to the wheel to seize the moment and act on historic change, addressing inequities decades in the making."

Throughout the last 11 years of the employee-driven campaign, BMO has raised over $200 million as a Purpose driven organization with a culture of giving back.

For more information on BMO's corporate social responsibility, please visit: https://our-impact.bmo.com/.

BMO's Partnership with United Way
BMO is a long-time partner of United Way in its Building Strong Neighbourhoods initiatives to overcome challenges to inclusive economic opportunity. BMO is a founding partner of the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity initiative, a ground-breaking effort spearheaded by BMO and United Way Greater Toronto that brings together business and community leaders to work together in reducing economic disparity. The bank has extended this model to Chicago. BMO previously donated $10 Million to United Way of Metropolitan Chicago's Neighborhood Network program, supporting revitalization plans in 10 high-priority neighborhoods. Additionally, in 2020, BMO employees donated more than $22 million to United Way and other charities through the annual BMO Employee Giving Campaign.

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 $988 billion as of October 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.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media contact: Kelsey Rutherford, Toronto, [email protected], [phone]; Kathleen Szot, Chicago, [email protected], [phone]; Marie-Catherine, Quebec, [email protected], [phone]; Internet: www.bmo.com, Twitter: @BMOMedia