SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West has been acknowledged as a top corporate philanthropist in three leading California cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose. Appearing alongside "luminaries" of corporate philanthropy such as Google and Chevron, the bank was acknowledged not only for its contributions in each region, but also for nearly $6 million of philanthropic giving in 2011 throughout the 19 states in which it operates.

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Bank of the West's philanthropic giving was ranked at number 19 among Los Angeles corporations, 25 among San Francisco corporations and 36 among San Jose firms. The bank's giving in the three regions was a combined total of $2.75 million.

The ratings were developed by the Business Journals of Los Angeles and San Jose, and the San Francisco Business Times. In announcing the list, the San Francisco Business Times, which has been ranking corporate philanthropy for over a decade, noted that their aim in compiling a list was "to help raise the bar on giving by corporations large and small." In 2011 corporate giving was particularly generous in the Bay Area, where the top 65 corporate givers granted $220 million to Bay Area nonprofits, according to the Business Times.

"Philanthropy and community engagement are core values at our bank and for many of our employees who have contributed personally to organizations in their communities," said Dian Quinn, Community Affairs manager at Bank of the West.  "Support of vital programs strengthens our neighborhoods and contributes to higher quality of life for individuals and families – whether through affordable housing, education and workforce development or technical assistance to small businesses. We're honored to be recognized for our charitable contributions, and also acknowledge the important work of our nonprofit colleagues who are dedicated to advancing our collective well-being."

The bank's charitable investments program supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving quality of life, particularly for low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. By the end of 2011, Bank of the West invested $71 billion in loans, investments and contributions to its communities.

This month, the bank will recognize winners of its third annual Philanthropy Awards, and award more than $200,000 in cash grants to nonprofit organizations in three categories: Innovation in Philanthropy, Community Impact and Team Member Commitment.

About Bank of the West

Founded in 1874, $63 billion-asset Bank of the West (www.bankofthewest.com), member FDIC and equal housing lender, offers a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services. The bank operates more than 700 retail and commercial banking locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees.

SOURCE Bank of the West