Commerce Pledges its Commitment to Advance Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

St. Louis, MO – In an effort to further demonstrate its commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace, John Kemper, Commerce Bank’s president and chief executive officer, recently signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™ pledge. The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is the largest CEO-driven commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The group includes leadership from more than 800 companies across industries, location and scale.

This commitment outlines a set of actions that companies will take to welcome diverse perspectives and experiences, as well as help make an impact within their communities and society at large. The end goal is to cultivate a workplace where team members feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion.

“At Commerce, we believe our people are our most valuable resource and our greatest competitive advantage," said Kemper. “Our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture of diverse talents and perspectives is vital to the organization and promotes engagement, innovation and productivity. By honoring this commitment in how we work together and how we do business, we enable team members to reach their full potential."

Research shows unconscious bias is a road block to inclusion and a sense of belonging in the workplace. As such, Commerce has outlined several actions to address this matter, including a three-part series of online training modules to combat unconscious bias and help individuals and leaders better understand how their behavior and actions contribute to inclusion.

The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is led by a steering committee of CEOs and leaders from Accenture, BCG, Deloitte US, The Executive Leadership Council, EY, General Atlantic, KPMG, New York Life, Procter & Gamble and PwC. The coalition represents 85 industries, all 50 U.S. states and millions of employees globally. Its participants pledge collective action, accountability and open dialogue in matters of diversity and inclusion.

To learn more about the pledge, visit CEOAction.com.

About Commerce Bank
With $25.8 billion in assets¹, Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH) is a registered bank holding company offering a full line of banking services, including payment solutions, investment management and securities brokerage. Commerce Bank, a subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., leverages more than 150 years of proven strength and experience to help individuals and businesses solve financial challenges. In addition to offering payment solutions across the U.S., the Company currently operates banking facilities in nine core markets including St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Central Missouri, Central Illinois, Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Denver. Commerce Bank also maintains commercial offices in Dallas, Houston, Cincinnati, Nashville, Des Moines, Indianapolis and Grand Rapids. Commerce delivers high-touch service and sophisticated financial solutions at regional branches, commercial offices, ATMs, online, mobile and through a 24/7 customer care line. Learn more at www.commercebank.com.

About CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. Bringing together more than 600 CEOs of America’s leading organizations, the commitment outlines actions that participating companies pledge to take to cultivate a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected, employees feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion, and where best known—and unsuccessful—actions can be shared across organizations. Learn more at CEOAction.com and connect with us on Instagram: @CEO_Action and Twitter: @CEOAction.