Interview with CIBC

Earlier this year, Jeffrey Nold, Director of Employee Engagement and Partnerships with CIBC was interviewed as part of a piece with The Globe and Mail. Please see the full interview below to learn more about why the CIBC Foundation sees value in supporting JA Canada.

How does CIBC engage with JA?  

CIBC has supported JA since 1965. We became a National Partner in 2020, and have been proud partners of JA ever since. Our goal is to provide tools and resources to help strengthen financial education and knowledge in our society . We invest in initiatives that help people develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of financial wellbeing.  

We are a National Partner of JA Economics for Success - financial education and economics program for grade 7 and 8 students. We also support JA Company Program – JA’s flagship after-school program program created for high school students to start their own business. With the help of a student group and volunteer mentors, students create, manage and liquidate a business over a 4 month program. 

We also support JA fundraising initiatives, Business Hall of Fame events and JA Company Program award celebrations.  

As part of our commitment to JA, our team members volunteer their time to deliver financial education workshops across the country to help make the ambitions of these students a reality.  

What motivates CIBC Team members to volunteer? Tell us about your/your team’s volunteer experience? 

Giving and volunteering are shared passions at our bank, rooted in our genuinely caring culture and our focus on helping people realize their ambitions. Our program reflects Team CIBC’s tremendous passion for giving and volunteering to help strengthen the communities in which we live and work. Over 200 CIBC team members in Canada and the U.S. volunteered over 1,000 hours and delivered 123 programs with Junior Achievement last year.  Our team volunteers for the Economics for Success program and the Company program.  Our employees enjoy engaging with the youth and sharing their experiences. 

Through a combination of our partnership and CIBC volunteer engagement, we reach over 14,500 students annually. In 2022, CIBC Bank USA was awarded the Above and Beyond Award for Team CIBC’s volunteerism with Junior Achievement in Chicago Public Schools. 

What has been most meaningful/impactful for you/ your team as volunteers? What does it mean to serve as a role model for young people? 

Mentoring can provide volunteers with the opportunity to meet and connect with other mentors, mentees, and professionals in their field. This can lead to new opportunities and collaboration. 

Effective mentoring requires a combination of personal qualities, skills and experience. Some of the key qualities and skills required are empathy and understanding; respect for diversity and inclusion; communication and interpersonal skills.  We want every young person to reach their full potential. 

Engaging with professionals and career mentors can give students the opportunity to learn from those who have firsthand experience in their field of interest. This can help students gain insights into the industry and gain a better understanding of the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. 

Through our corporate and employee community initiatives, we support and remove barriers to ambition for next generation leaders through greater access to education and employment outcomes.