/EINPresswire.com/ -- TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov 10, 2016) - BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (TSX:BMO)(NYSE:BMO), has launched Canada's first principal protected notes linked to an environmental, social and governance-themed index.

The BMO Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) index is a proprietary, quantitative and socially screened index that seeks to provide exposure to select components of the Jantzi Social Index (JSI), a stock index of Canadian companies that comply with a set of broad ESG screening criteria.

"The new product offers our clients a socially responsible investment while providing protection of their principal at maturity," said Jerome Cloutier, Managing Director, Global Structured Products, of the two series of notes launched on Oct. 31.

A proprietary, quantitative rules-based screen is used to select the BMO ESG Index components from the JSI. At maturity, investors in BMO Environmental, Social & Governance Index Linked Principal Protected Deposit Notes will receive the amount of their original deposit plus a variable amount that reflects the price return on the equities in the BMO ESG Index over the term of the note.

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American financial services provider. With more than 2,200 employees operating in 30 locations, including 16 in North America, BMO Capital Markets offers corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE:BMO)(TSX:BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America, with total assets of CDN $692 billion as of July 31, 2016, and over 45,000 employees.