| |
RBC announces $1 million donation to MaRS Centre
for Impact Investing
Centre will act as a catalyst for social and environmental
change
TORONTO, November 8, 2012 - RBC today announced a
historic, $1 million, five-year commitment to support the
MaRS Centre for Impact Investing. With this donation, RBC
becomes a founding partner of the Centre, launched in late
2011 to increase awareness of social finance and direct new
capital and talent to tackle social and environmental problems
in Canada.
RBC's donation will help the Centre become the leadership
hub on impact in investing for Canada. With the donation,
RBC will fund educational and advisory programs for investors,
financial advisors, social enterprises, as well as the development
of models, tools, products, research and services to create
and measure positive social and environmental impact.
"RBC is proud to be a founding partner of the MaRS Centre
for Impact Investing, and we are confident that with this
donation, the Centre will strengthen our collective ability
to mobilize private capital toward the public good,"
said Gordon M. Nixon, president and CEO, RBC. "The Centre
will become the 'go-to' resource for social finance in Canada,
creating a collaborative platform for private, community and
government sectors to develop products, services, talent and
public policy."
"MaRS is proud to recognize RBC as a founding member
of the Centre for Impact Investing," said Ilse Treurnicht,
CEO, MaRS,. "Their support, and Gord Nixon's leadership,
speaks to the momentum that is building around the impact
investing agenda. The talent and capabilities that RBC brings
to the table will strengthen the Centre's capacity to build
a robust investment hub."
Today's donation complements the RBC social finance initiative,
a $20 million commitment to help ignite social and environmental
change through investment activity. This commitment includes
the $10 million RBC Generator, a pool of RBC capital designed
to finance enterprises addressing social and environmental
challenges and a $10 million investment of RBC Foundation
assets into socially responsible investment funds. The RBC
Generator will provide financing for enterprises that address
clean water, energy efficiency, or employment opportunities
for youth or disadvantaged groups.
The RBC social finance initiative builds on the company's
strong and longstanding reputation for leadership and innovation
in finance, business, corporate citizenship and public policy.
One of Canada's leading corporate citizens, RBC contributed
more than $98 million to charitable causes worldwide in 2011.
"My hope is that others in the business community will
make similar commitments to help create positive social and
environmental change," added Nixon.
About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (Twitter: @MaRSDD) is a mission-driven
innovation centre located in Toronto. MaRS works with partners
to catalyze, accelerate and amplify innovation. MaRS supports
entrepreneurs building Canada's next generation of growth
companies.
About the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing
The Centre for Impact Investing is a national hub designed
to increase the awareness and effectiveness of social finance
in order to direct new capital and talent toward tackling
Canada's most pressing social and environmental problems.
Designed for collaboration and co-creation between government,
community and the private sector, the Centre builds on the
foundational work of MaRS and Social Innovation Generation
(SiG), including the landmark report by the Canadian Task
Force on Social Finance.
About RBC
RBC employs approximately 80,000 full and part-time people
who serve more than 15 million personal, business, public
sector and institutional clients in Canada, the U.S. and 51
other countries. RBC is recognized among the world's financial,
social and environmental leaders, and is listed in the 2011-2012
Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the Global 100 Most
Sustainable Corporations, and the DJSI North American Index.
RBC has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers, one
of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most
Socially Responsible Corporations and one of the Best Workplaces
in Canada. RBC is also listed on the Jantzi Social Index,
the FTSE4Good Index, and the Canadian Carbon Disclosure Project
Leadership Index.
RBC and its employees support and participate in a broad range
of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and
volunteer activities. In 2011, RBC contributed more than $98
million to causes worldwide through donations of $64 million
and sponsorship of community events and organizations of $34
million.
- 30 -
For more information, please contact:
André Roberts, 416-974-3678
andre.roberts@rbc.com,
Mellissa Hughes, 416-673-8100 ext 2710
mhughes@marsdd.com,
|
|
