RBC Corporate Responsibility Report and Public Accountability Statement

RBC Financial Group is committed to respecting the diversity of our clients, communities and employees. By embracing a vibrant mix of cultures, ages, races, lifestyles and genders in our workplace and our marketplace, we believe RBC will be a rewarding place to work and a dynamic organization with which to do business.

Diversity leadership
At RBC, we recognize that providing an equitable workplace, where people understand and respect diversity, is key to attracting, retaining and engaging employees and to serving our clients well.

Our commitment to diversity starts at the most senior levels of RBC. The Diversity Leadership Council is chaired by President & CEO Gordon M. Nixon and includes executive champions from all businesses. This council is responsible for setting RBC’s overall strategy for diversity and employment equity, discussing issues and overseeing progress. Executives champion and support implementation of the diversity strategies within their respective businesses, seeking input from employees and reporting results back to their business unit heads.

In addition, senior executives have assumed the role of champions for a number of client and employee groups. For example, within RBC Banking, executive champions have been appointed for visible minorities and Aboriginal Peoples, people with disabilities and women.

We continue to sponsor a number of community business organizations, such as the Canadian-Italian Business and Professionals Association, the Canada Tamil Chamber of Commerce, the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce, the Indus Entrepreneurs, the Association of Canadian Chinese Entrepreneurs and the Black Business and Professionals Association.

In 2003, RBC Mortgage became a charter member of the National Hispanic Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association with the goal of helping increase Hispanic home ownership in the United States through the sponsorship of initiatives such as educational seminars.

For RBC’s most current employment equity report, provided to the federal government,
visit rbc.com/uniquecareers

Diversity awareness for employees
“Diversity for Growth and Innovation” is one of the five RBC Values, reinforced through regular communication, workshops, training and intranet resources. In 2003, we launched Destination Diversity, a comprehensive intranet site for employees and managers, to facilitate learning and sharing.

RBC’s Recruitment Centre includes dedicated roles focused on diversity recruitment, as our ongoing priority is to actively recruit a diverse workforce. This is important as we strive to achieve our business strategies that are based on strong relationships with distinct cultural and client segments.

An array of educational tools produced by RBC, such as our award-winning Diversity in Action video, What We Can Do gender behaviours booklet and Flexible Work Arrangements guides, continues to be requested by external groups including academia, businesses, community groups and individuals.

Diverse markets and clients

RBC believes that responding to the needs of diverse markets makes good business sense. In part, managing diversity is a response to demographic changes, such as the increasingly important role of women, minorities and new immigrants in communities where we do business. To identify market opportunities, grow business and continuously earn the right to be our clients’ first choice, we have to better understand the needs of the diverse communities in which we live and work.
That’s one reason why RBC has been a long-standing supporter of community-based diversity initiatives with a focus on amateur sports, arts and culture, people with disabilities, and one-of-a-kind special programs that celebrate the cultural fabric of communities. In 2003, for instance, we sponsored Calgary’s One World Festival, with pavilions across the city representing more than 40 different cultures. We continue to support a number of pre-employment training initiatives, internships and scholarship programs.

In 2003, RBC sponsored South Asian Heritage month in Toronto, with employees such as these at our Kingston Road and Lawrence branch taking part. RBC also supports the South Asian community through sponsorship of business organizations like the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce and the Canada Pakistan Business Council, as well as arts and culture organizations.
IMAGE: John Fraser