The bank of ambitions

As Canada’s bank for Canadian entrepreneurs, our Client Diversity strategy ensures ALL entrepreneurs have access to financing, as well as advisory services to help them grow and succeed. In 2015, BDC took on a leadership role in advancing women entrepreneurship on all fronts: financing, partnerships, capital and mentorship – and made it a priority to support the growth and success of women entrepreneurs (WEs) at every step of their business journey. 

Sustainability is also a priority at BDC. We want to create a more prosperous, inclusive, and greener economy. We believe performance is no longer measured solely in financial terms, but also using environmental, social and governance indicators. With that, we have prioritized sustainability for almost two decades. We were one of the first companies in Canada to certify as a B Corp and we have invested over $1.2 billion in sustainability linked projects.

We also recognize that our business community needs more diversity and inclusion. This isn’t only the right thing to do, research shows diverse workplaces perform better financially, produce higher-quality work, and have deeper engagement.

Through our Supplier Diversity program, we are also committed to building a diverse and inclusive supply chain to ensure that our suppliers are as representative of the communities we live in and support.

Finally, BDC is also behind the new Thrive Investments Platform, a new $500M fund and lab to help women-led businesses grow.

“At BDC, we are committed to building more inclusive prosperity in Canada by supporting the creation of diverse, innovative businesses,” said Laura Didyk, Vice President, Client Diversity. We also believe that with strategic partners like Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation and NACCA, BDC is uniquely positioned to help fill key market gaps and help underserved groups of business owners.  

“Today, less than 5% of the Canadian tech workforce is Indigenous. Working with StrikeUp and NACCA, we are excited to help bridge this gap, by offering a workshop for Indigenous women entrepreneurs on how to build more sustainable businesses using technology while maintaining their values and connection to their culture and community”

To learn more, visit bdc.ca