RBC releases 2006 Corporate Responsibility Report and Public
Accountability Statement
TORONTO, February 12, 2007 — RBC Financial Group has
released its 2006 Corporate Responsibility Report, "Towards
Sustainability: Where Our Values Lead Us."
This report contains an overview of RBC's economic impact,
business and workplace practices, as well as its impact on
society and the environment. The production of such reports
reflects a growing recognition that a company's value cannot
be judged solely on one quarter's financial results, but should
include a longer-term view of issues that affect the company's
daily operations and overall sustainability.
To better respond to diverse readers and stakeholders, and
to minimize the environmental impact of producing a paper-based
report, RBC migrated most of its reporting about corporate
responsibility to its website in 2006, with the print report
intended to be an annual summary of its activities.
For the first time, RBC's Corporate Responsibility Report,
Annual Report to Shareholders and Management Proxy Circular
are all "carbon neutral." RBC worked with Zerofootprint
Offsets, a third-party vendor, to determine the greenhouse
gas emissions resulting from the production and transport
of its reports. Then RBC offset its emissions by investing
in a reforestation project in a Canadian community through
Zerofootprint. These carbon-neutralizing offsets are guaranteed
ISO 14064-2 certified, a world standard in greenhouse gas
emission accounting.
In 2006, RBC's leadership in sustainability was recognized
by a number of organizations and indices. The company is listed
on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the Jantzi Social Index
and the FTSE4Good Index, all of which recognize financial,
social and environmental leaders. Early in 2007, RBC was named
to a list of the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations
in the World."
"Towards Sustainability" is available in three
editions--global, Canadian English, and Canadian French--in
recognition of the company's diverse operations. The Canadian
editions contain RBC's annual Public Accountability Statement
as required by Canada's financial services legislation. The
2006 report is available online at rbc.com,
in print through RBC Royal Bank branches and in audio format
by special request.
- 30 -
For further information, please contact:
Beja Rodeck, Director, Media Relations, (416) 974-5506
|
