Fostering a fair and inclusive work environment to help
                       newcomers reach their potentialTORONTO, Feb. 25 /CNW/ - CIBC (CM: TSX;NYSE) has been selected as one of
Canada's "Best Employers for New Canadians for 2008." The award recognizes
employers from across Canada that lead their peers in creating a workplace
that welcomes new Canadians and allows them to make the most of their skills,
education and talents. The winners were selected by the editors of Canada's
Top 100 Employers and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC).
    "Over the past two decades, CIBC has focused on increasing the
representation, participation and advancement of our employees who are new to
Canada and who have historically faced barriers in employment," said Richard
Venn, Senior Executive Vice-President of Corporate Development and CIBC
Diversity Champion. "Across CIBC, employees at all levels are engaged in
fostering diversity, and ensuring we have a fair and inclusive workplace.
    "We are proud that CIBC's efforts have resulted in our meeting or
exceeding workforce representation goals for all four groups designated under
Canada's Federal Employment Equity Act: women, visible minorities, Aboriginal
peoples and persons with disabilities," added Venn. "We are the first
financial institution in Canada to accomplish this and we will continue to
keep our commitment to building a workforce that reflects the clients and
communities we serve."
    One of the ways CIBC assists recent immigrants in finding suitable
employment is through Career Bridge internships, a program designed to address
the dilemma faced by newcomers without Canadian work experience. Under the
program, CIBC has supported 18 interns, 70 per cent of whom were successful in
securing a permanent position in CIBC after their internship. CIBC's
commitment and results with Career Bridge were recognized by Toronto Region
Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) as a best practice in sourcing skilled
immigrants.
    "My Career Bridge internship at CIBC has opened the door for me to gain
the Canadian experience needed to bring my career one step further as well as
giving me the opportunities to search for the jobs which match my work
experience and background education," said Sunday Asha, an Internal Controls
quality assurance and testing officer. "The work environment at CIBC is
friendly and welcoming. The people are more than willing to help out, starting
from the mentors, the co-workers and the top executives. They were and are
willing to support me every step of the way."
    CIBC has a Newcomers to Canada link on its web site where new immigrants
can find information on careers at CIBC.

    CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with nearly 11
million personal banking and business clients. CIBC offers a full range of
products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network,
branches and offices across Canada, in the United States and around the world.
You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Press
Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.