Mr. Alexandre Guay reports

NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA RECEIVES PAIR BRONZE CERTIFICATION FROM THE CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR INDIGENOUS BUSINESS

National Bank of Canada has been awarded bronze certification in the Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) program from the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB), recognizing the bank's progress and commitment to building meaningful relationships with indigenous peoples, communities, organizations and businesses across Canada.

PAIR is a multiyear certification program that recognizes organizations demonstrating measurable and sustained progress in indigenous relations and economic reconciliation. Independently verified, the certification evaluates performance across four key pillars: leadership, business development, community relationships and employment.

"Achieving bronze-level PAIR certification is an introductory milestone in our journey toward reconciliation and reflects the meaningful work under way across the bank," said Marie Chantal Gingras, chief financial officer and executive vice-president -- finance. "We humbly recognize that reconciliation requires ongoing action, listening, learning and the pursuit of mutual benefit. Through stronger relationships with indigenous communities, organizations and businesses, we are committed to supporting their evolving needs and contributing to long-term economic prosperity and shared success."

Building on this milestone, the bank continues its efforts in fostering long-term, trust-based relationships with indigenous communities and supporting initiatives that advance education, culture, well-being and economic development. These include:

• Fostering a greater understanding of indigenous realities, by delivering indigenous awareness and reconciliation training through a strategic partnership with Ashukan Institute to employees, leaders and executives, achieving a completion rate of over 90 per cent.
• Creating pathways to attract, recruit, retain and develop indigenous talent through intentional hiring practices, partnerships with indigenous organizations, and the support of the "Reseau Autochtone/Indigenous Network" (RA/IN), its indigenous employee resource group, which fosters cultural awareness, community and professional development.
• Establishing a dedicated indigenous relations team, under the leadership of Steve Berna, who was appointed as managing director and head of indigenous relations in early 2025, to advance equitable indigenous participation across the company's activities, while ensuring greater awareness and recognition of indigenous communities within banking relationships.
• Deepening support for indigenous communities through enhanced investments in community partnerships that uplift their communities and promote indigenous-led initiatives.
• Advancing economic reconciliation through its sustainable sourcing strategy, which integrates various social considerations into procurement practices, and seeks to build strong relationships with diverse and indigenous suppliers.

About National Bank of Canada

With $635-billion in assets as at July 31, 2026, National Bank of Canada is one of Canada's six systemically important banks. The bank has more than 37,000 employees in knowledge-intensive positions and operates three business segments in Canada: personal and commercial banking, wealth management, and capital markets. A fourth segment, U.S. Specialty Finance, and international, complements the growth of its domestic operations. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA).