- Home
- Our practices
- Climate change
- Operational Sustainability
- Environmental targets and performance
Environmental targets and performance
Operational ECO5 summary reporting
We strive to mitigate our impact by managing our energy use, transportation, material consumption (including paper), waste generation and procurement – these are the 5 pillars of our ECO5 strategy. Our Sustainability Report Data Pack and Glossary provides a holistic view of the indicators we use to guide us in the implementation of this strategy and to track progress toward our publicly stated targets.
Emissions reduction targets and reports
As a bank, the majority of our operational footprint is a result of emissions from the buildings we occupy, and the remainder is largely the result of business travel. Since 2008, we’ve met four separate multi-year enterprise emissions reduction targets. And we’ve built on that success with an ambitious new target established in 2019. We plan to re-assess our operational GHG emissions reduction target in 2024 to account for the impact of our acquisition of Bank of the West.
Emissions reduction target, established 2019
- Plan: In 2019, BMO set a new target to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions 30% by 2030 versus a 2019 baseline using science-based approaches.
- Progress: Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have decreased by 35% since 2019.
In 2023, we saw emissions reduction that surpassed the 2030 target due to significant capital upgrades to our buildings and hybrid working arrangements we put in place following the COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to re-assess our operational GHG emissions reduction target in 2024 to account for the impact of our acquisition of Bank of the West.
Further reporting on emissions
Here’s more information on how we’re measuring against our goal to reduce carbon emissions:
- Sustainability Report Data Pack and Glossary: The indicators we use to guide us in the implementation of our operational efficiency strategy and to track progress toward our publicly stated targets can be found in our Sustainability Report Data Pack and Glossary.
- CDP: Formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project, CDP aims to enhance the level and quality of carbon emissions disclosure from publicly traded corporations. Read our most recent (2023) response to the CDP which represents the relevant data for our fiscal 2022 period.
- Emissions verification statement: Read the third-party statement providing a commercially independent verification of the completeness and accuracy of our operational greenhouse gas emissions reporting.
For assistance with accessible formats for online content, please contact sustainability@bmo.com
Environmental policy
Read BMO’s official statement on our environmental policy.
Environmental policy and approach
BMO’s environmental sustainability strategy, known as ECO5, guides how we reduce the environmental impact of our business operations.
Environmental community outreach
Through grassroots employee programs and partnerships with environmental organizations, we’re working to create a greener workplace and planet.