Carleton Announces $1- Million Donation from RBC to support the Carleton Centre for Research and Education on Women and Work

OTTAWA, March 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Carleton University today announced a $1 million, 10-year commitment from RBC to the Centre for Research and Education on Women and Work (CREWW) at the Sprott School of Business to continue its important work on diversity and the advancement of women in the workplace.

RBC has a longstanding relationship supporting CREWW, which was launched in 1992 to facilitate and disseminate cutting-edge research on women and the workplace, build bridges to the community and offer innovative programs to develop Canadian business leaders.

The funds will contribute to new research on workplace diversity to better understand the obstacles that may be keeping employees from reaching their full potential. The donation will also support a distance education program delivered by Carleton's Management Development Program for Women (MDPW) and a speakers' series on women in management, with additional support for another leadership lecture series at the Sprott School of Business.

"We are grateful to RBC for its valuable support and leadership," said Carleton President Roseann O'Reilly Runte. "This program profoundly influences the lives and careers of these students, enabling their professional advancement and a significant impact on regional and national economic development."

"RBC is proud to make this $1 million commitment to the Carleton Centre for Research and Education on Women and Work and we are confident that with this donation, the Centre will strengthen the advancement of women in the workplace," said Zabeen Hirji, Chief Human Resources Officer, RBC. "We believe that achieving gender equality is both the smart thing and the right thing to do, and this focus has made us a more competitive, relevant organization for our clients and employees, and a better corporate citizen for the communities we serve."

"Working with business to make a difference in our community is a key goal of the Centre," said Lorraine Dyke, Director of CREWW and a Sprott faculty member. "RBC is a leader on gender and diversity issues and it is a privilege to be able to continue to partner with such a progressive organization on this important work of breaking down barriers."

Today's donation is part of the RBC's recognition of International Women's Day. RBC is a strong advocate of women entrepreneurs, women in leadership, women in public life and those in community leadership. The bank is also committed to advancing the cause of women both in their workplace and in their communities.

"Our hope is that others in the business community will make similar commitments to help make a difference for women in the communities in which we live and work," said Jeff Boyd, Regional President, Ontario North and East, RBC.

The Management Development Program for Women, unique in Canada, has a 20-year track record of success and is a proven career accelerator for women. Carleton's goal is to take the success of this program online, offering it nationally as a distance education program that can reach women in remote communities, particularly Aboriginal women, who are assuming leadership roles with little support.

With the support of the Royal Bank Visiting Chair on Women and Work, Carleton conducted three major research initiatives between 1996 and 2003 that led to a deeper understanding of women in the workplace and career development. These projects resulted in three major conferences, two books and multiple research papers.

For more information on CREWW and the Management Development Program for Women, please visit: http://sprott.carleton.ca/research/research-centres/centre-for-research-and-education-on-women-and-work/.

For more information on RBC's efforts to advance women in the workplace, the marketplace and the communities check out the RBC Diversity Blueprint™ or visit the Community & Sustainability section of rbc.com.

About Carleton University:
Located in the nation's capital, Carleton University is a dynamic research and teaching institution with a tradition of leading change. Its internationally recognized faculty, staff and researchers provide more than 25,000 full- and part-time students from every province and more than 100 countries around the world with academic opportunities in more than 65 programs of study, including public affairs, journalism, film studies, engineering, high technology, and international studies. Carleton's creative, interdisciplinary and international approach to research has led to many significant discoveries and creative works in science and technology, business, governance, public policy and the arts. As an innovative institution Carleton is uniquely committed to developing solutions to real-world problems by pushing the boundaries of knowledge and understanding daily.

About RBC Community and Sustainability:
Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries operate under the master brand name RBC. We employ approximately 80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 15 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 49 other countries. RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on the 2012 - 2013 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the DJSI North American Index, the Jantzi Social Index and the FTSE4Good Index. RBC is one of Canada's Greenest Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations and among the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.

RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2012, we contributed more than $95 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $64 million and $31 million in sponsorships.

SOURCE: RBC