Bank of America 2015 Annual Report Download - page 14

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have identified as the best practices for that position. You can
review the proxy for more information about Board governance.
Another way we think about sustainability is the work we do to
strengthen our local economies, invest in our communities
and be a great place to work for our employees.
In , this included increasing our environmental business
initiative to $ billion — one of the largest commitments to
finance new energy — through lending, investing, capital raising
and developing financial solutions for clients.
Our company continues to support the U.S. military through
home donations, job skills training and hiring. Last year, we
hired more than , veterans as part of our commitment to
hire , veterans. And, in a tribute to their service, of the
, homes we have donated, nearly , were donated to
help returning veterans and their families. What makes this
special is the volunteer work our teammates put in to cleaning
up and getting the homes ready for the new families.
To support our communities, we also invested more than
$ million in philanthropic investments, and our employees
donated nearly  million hours of volunteer service to the
causes they care about around the world.
Sustainability gives us the opportunity to apply the size and
scale we have to do big things, and as a global company, we
have a role in finding sustainable solutions to some of
society’s biggest challenges.
One example is the work our team has done with (RED)™ to
help end mother-to-child transmission of AIDS in Africa. We
partnered with (RED) because we saw an opportunity to use
our size and scale to tackle the challenge. And, we’ve been able
to do so by giving our employees and customers an opportunity
to get involved, which is something they tell us is important
to them.
Finally, and most importantly, being a sustainable company
means we value our people and give all employees the support
they need to build a career, achieve their goals, and have the
resources they need to improve their lives and the lives of their
families. All that we are and all that we achieve is because of
our employees, and I want to thank them for all they do.
We have a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects
the diversity of the customers, clients and communities we
serve in more than  countries around the world. To help
employees develop in their careers, we provide resources and
strategies, no matter where they are in their career. Through
our recruitment programs and partnerships, we are investing in
the future by bringing the best and brightest to work at Bank
of America. Our campus recruiting has increased over the last
In , we extended
more than $ million
in loans to Community
Development Financial
Institutions (CDFIs),
supporting affordable
housing, small businesses,
energy efficiency and
neighborhood stabilization.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Community Development
Banking provided a record-
setting $. billion in lending
and investment in , the
most in a single year since we
began this effort  years ago.
As part of our commitment to
support strong communities,
we created more than ,
housing units, including more
than , units of affordable
housing, for individuals,
families, veterans, seniors
and the previously homeless
across the United States.