Beyond financial performance, the organization distinguishes itself through its ongoing commitment to reflecting the diversity of the society it serves and creating opportunities for all talented individuals, including women, to reach their full potential.. As a result, in 2026, the Bank was ranked first in the world by Equileap for gender equality in developed markets. This recognition highlights the strength of our collective commitment, reflected in the teams’ daily efforts to advance gender equality. It also serves as a powerful driving force to continue moving forward with ambition and consistency.

The starting point
In 2015, women made up 65% of National Bank’s workforce and played a central role in advancing business and customer service objectives. Yet, women held only 45% of senior management roles.

Recognizing this gap, the organization committed to advancing women in line with their talent and ambition at every business level. To support this commitment, it put a structured strategy in place.

National Bank approached this work by opening the conversation to both women and men. Discussions focused on corporate culture, flexibility, professional development, and leadership styles, as well as the importance of role models, mentors, and sponsors. They also addressed inclusion, cultural differences, bias, and allyship, alongside skills development, learning, networks, community involvement, board representation, business success, and ambition. These conversations laid the foundation for a multifaceted action plan, one that also extended to better serving women clients across Canada.

Implementation

A Multi-Pronged Strategy to Accelerate Women’s Advancement

As part of its talent management efforts, National Bank modernized its practices and introduced a comprehensive annual review of its talent pool and high-potential employees. This process ensures that each individual benefits from a tailored development plan aligned with their skills and ambitions.

This approach also laid the foundation for the partnership with The A Effect, launched ten years ago and now a key lever for empowering women at National Bank. Through this collaboration, women are encouraged to embrace their ambition, put themselves forward with confidence, and fully express their leadership potential.

The results

Sustained Transformation Amid Changes to the Banking Profession

Over the past decade, National Bank has undergone a significant shift in its professional roles, notably through a move toward more technology-driven sectors, areas that have traditionally been male-dominated. This evolution has enabled National Bank to progress toward gender parity across the organization while maintaining strong representation of women in senior management and executive roles. These results highlight the effectiveness of the initiatives put in place to support women’s ambition and advancement. Within the leadership team itself, gender parity was achieved in 2024.

The impact

Women’s Ambition: A Driver of Collective Performance

Investing in the development of women’s talent benefits more than just the program participants: the skills they acquire, the confidence they gain, and the ambition they cultivate create a ripple effect across their teams and throughout National Bank.

Through a cultural shift that places collaboration at the core of its values, a structured multi-pronged strategy, clear objectives, and a strong partnership with The A Effect, along with development initiatives such as the joint program with the Association des Femmes en Finance du Québec (AFFQ) to expand networking, training, and mentorship opportunities, National Bank is accelerating women’s advancement into key roles and ensuring its leadership reflects the society it serves.

In summary
Through the genuine commitment of senior management, concrete and measurable actions, and a clear vision of inclusive leadership, National Bank has become an inspiring model for all organizations seeking to combine inclusion, ambition, and performance.