Scotiabank routinely partners with third party organizations to gauge the views of Scotiabank customers and the public on how they perceive CSR, the environment, and our performance in this area. We also survey our own employees on environmental issues. Among the key findings:

CSR is important to Canadians.

• The majority of Canadians take a company's CSR performance into consideration when they make everyday purchases. Additionally, when making an investment decision, one-quarter of Canadians take a company's CSR practices into consideration.
• Furthermore, about one in five say they would switch to another financial institution if it demonstrated a higher degree of excellence in its CSR commitments.
  Source: Scotiabank's Corporate Social Responsibility Study - Decima - 2007

The environment plays a part in Canadians purchase decisions.

• Four-in-five Canadians say they consider the environmental impact on a product when they make a purchase decision - only 20% of Canadians say they rarely or never do.
  Source: Bensimon Byrne Consumerology Report - 2008
• Half of all Canadians prefer to give their business to companies that make an effort to be environmentally responsible.
• Currently, few Canadians own "green" financial products and services. Of those who currently own such a product or service, the majority own paper-free accounts.
  Source: The Ipses Reid Green Financial Products & Services Syndicated Study - 2008

Scotiabank Employees care about the environment and want to do their part to help.

• The majority of Scotiabank employees in Canada are concerned about the environment and are willing to participate in an employee environmental participation program.
  Source: The Environment: An Overview of Employee's Mindset - 2008