{"id":34143,"date":"2025-07-08T19:59:31","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T19:59:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allonlinebanglanewspapers.com\/news\/first-west-credit-union-releases-inaugural-impact-report-demonstrating-community-leadership-and-social-impact\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T19:59:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T19:59:31","slug":"first-west-credit-union-releases-inaugural-impact-report-demonstrating-community-leadership-and-social-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allonlinebanglanewspapers.com\/news\/first-west-credit-union-releases-inaugural-impact-report-demonstrating-community-leadership-and-social-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"First West Credit Union releases inaugural Impact Report demonstrating community leadership and social impact"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"main-body-container\" itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p>LANGLEY, B.C., July  08, 2025  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) &#8212; First West Credit Union\u00a0has released its first-ever Impact Report, showcasing how the member-owned cooperative is balancing financial performance with meaningful social, environmental and community impact across British Columbia.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The 2024 Impact Report spans five key areas\u2014community impact, workforce development, business operations, impact strategy, and climate action\u2014highlighting initiatives that support inclusive hiring, sustainable finance, food security, Indigenous reconciliation, and alignment with six UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through a blend of data, storytelling, and strategic vision, the report demonstrates how First West is creating lasting value for its members, employees, and communities across British Columbia.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt First West, we believe banking can and should be a catalyst for positive change,\u201d says Launi Skinner, CEO at First West Credit Union. \u201cThis inaugural Impact Report reflects our unwavering commitment to building a future where everyone can flourish\u2014through inclusive financial services, meaningful community partnerships, and bold action on sustainability.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Significant community investment\u202f<\/strong><strong>\u202f<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In 2024, while many financial institutions adjusted their community strategies, First West deepened its investment in community impact. Here are some of the report\u2019s highlights:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>  $3.1 million+ invested in community initiatives addressing food insecurity, mental health support, financial literacy and employment readiness\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>  83 organizations supported through strategic partnerships\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>  6,831 volunteer hours contributed by team members\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>  $5.5 million committed to impact investments supporting affordable housing, climate technology and social enterprises\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>  Alignment with 6 UN Sustainable Development Goals providing a clear framework for global and local impact\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Purpose-driven partnerships creating real change<\/strong><strong>\u202f<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The report highlights successful local partnerships across First West&#8217;s regional brands, including:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>  Island Savings&#8217; partnership with Clements Centre for Families in Duncan, supporting\u00a0independence for individuals with developmental disabilities and expanding to include The Mindful Mouthful social enterprise bakery\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>  Envision Financial&#8217;s support of Mackie&#8217;s Place in Surrey, providing $23,000 to open a caf\u00e9 where at-risk youth receive barista training and develop essential workplace skills\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>  Valley First&#8217;s collaboration with Kelowna-based Purppl\u2019s Impact &amp; Leadership Development Program which supports over 40 non-profits, charities and social purpose organizations through customized capacity-building programs\u202f\u00a0  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The report was developed following extensive consultation with members and team members through focus groups, surveys, and interviews conducted in 2023 to better understand their perspectives on environmental, social and governance priorities.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a member-owned cooperative serving communities across British Columbia for nearly eight decades, First West has consistently demonstrated that financial institutions can be catalysts for positive social and economic change. The credit union\u2019s commitment extends to its ongoing fight against hunger, having provided more than 15 million meals through local food banks since 2010.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Accountability for future impact<\/strong><strong>\u202f<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The inaugural Impact Report establishes baseline metrics and will serve as a living tool to guide future priorities and decision-making. First West is committed to embedding impact into how it operates, innovates, and grows, building a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and values-driven performance.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Financial institutions have a responsibility to demonstrate how they contribute to the communities they serve,&#8221; Skinner adds. &#8220;This Impact Report holds us accountable to our members and shows the tangible outcomes of our efforts to building a more inclusive, sustainable financial future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The full Impact Report is available at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/Tracker?data=T5rsVua38n318DdmEVuOsKE1O1U4E-jnXfsgWaoy_qDUQy9DOVbjTlhiMLrP6uCSwODI0m9ScVZGRs0vq2z4i3YMnuv16NQCKV8bvoyrViW1zaFzLZ2VKrzMGuS7y9eOF0Wh5Ac6qaPX-qRW3RR4Ag==\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"www.firstwestcu.ca\/impactreport.\u202f\u00a0\">www.firstwestcu.ca\/impactreport.\u202f\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<ul id=\"gnw_attachments_section-items\">\n<li>\n        <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/Tracker?data=bVpe3y5Am8CsVIA18ev_eZpwFWLH6V94kKg58pwW_KeUfZHtyQ0QgJl2isB6zkmr7tTdVK3AvbHP6sK0moKeIc7bFnhZd8ailsgtyTg1GDWLrX4XnC2mCN3xRJptV8dhhbqSYnKajwDgDF7UNu1SXPtlEg35XaFWOE5KG0G5UhSUQXF1gmyUaI9KMyHcyQwjfQuvqC6F0cipZ8XxUWcdHQ==\" title=\"First West's inaugural Impact Report\" rel=\"nofollow\">First West&#8217;s inaugural Impact Report<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<li>\n        <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/Tracker?data=N5Qf9QOtmf113s_19FY2wkq2_fZ0GBKhBGe36SVqaEvc_Om_ekZn6ZrO9EZFkeF8AjMFd_RmgMu7s0DHlEAH3uwNmISeEFM8hVK0jSXlsoRT_0nGNXB5STGfQNTzQDdtiU66tsR5pCcP2ZZJBckcM9I1beLkaRb4j92oVI7juFmeeNOALpYYBAG8_iHLq7aA\" title=\"Leading well in the community\" rel=\"nofollow\">Leading well in the community<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<pre\/>\n            <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LANGLEY, B.C., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) &#8212; First West Credit Union\u00a0has released its first-ever Impact Report, showcasing how the member-owned cooperative is balancing financial performance with meaningful social, environmental and community impact across British Columbia.\u202f\u00a0 The 2024 Impact Report spans five key areas\u2014community impact, workforce development, business operations, impact strategy, and climate action\u2014highlighting initiatives [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34144,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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