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NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA A strong recovery starts with a strong community National Bank of Canada had to adjust quickly when COVID-19 hit the globe in early 2020. It was a large task considering it has 2.5 million clients and more than 26,000 employees in 409 branches across Canada. "The world is enduring extremely challenging times, both from a health and financial perspective. Since the onset of the current crisis, we have prioritized the well-being of our employees, clients, and communities," said Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Canada. National Bank of Canada made sure people who could work remotely were supported, while strict hygiene and social distancing measures were put in place for those who had to be physically present. Those workers were also given special temporary compensation for coming in. All employees were given access to five extra days of wellness leave and free psychological support through their telemedicine platform, to name just a few measures. National Bank of Canada encouraged clients to bank digitally. Exceptional efforts were made to avoid service interruptions, support clients with relief measures and help business clients navigate government programs. The bank launched a special approach for seniors, whose calls were prioritized in its call centres. Supporting the community during these difficult times was also critical to National Bank of Canada. The financial institution has made several donations to organizations across Canada, from food banks to the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund by United Way Centraide, just to name a few. In its Q3 2020 earnings report, Louis Vachon said it is still too early to predict how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect the economy in the long term but added, "National Bank of Canada is in a strong position with a solid balance sheet, defensive positioning, quality credit portfolios, and a prudent approach to provisioning." 34 TH E WINNIPEG INVE STOR

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