Awards 2007

Date: 2007 December
Award: Gold Champion Level Reporter
Who: Vancity
From: Canadian Standards Association
For: Vancity received the highest level of achievement for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Canadian GHG Challenge Registry, Canada’s only voluntary registry of greenhouse gas baselines, targets, and reductions. Vancity surpassed rigorous reporting standards and earned a perfect score of 100 for all defined categories that included Target Setting, Past Action and Potential Future Actions to Achieve Targets.

Date: 2007 November
Award: 2007 CUCBC Innovation Awards
Who: Vancity
From: Credit Union Central of British Columbia
For: Vancity received a first place award in the innovative service product category for , our socially and environmentally responsible suite of investment products. We also received a second place award for our social media site, ChangeEverything.ca, which was recognised as an innovative method to deliver service to our members. Each year, CUCBC, the provincial credit union umbrella organization, presents innovation awards to member credit unions to showcase new concepts and solutions that can be adapted by other credit unions. Vancity also received the award in 2003 for our marketing campaign directed at the gay and lesbian community, and in 2002 for our online brokerage digital business card.

Date: 2007 November
Award: Corporate Knights Diversity Leadership Index
Who: Vancity
From: Corporate Knights Magazine
For: The constituents of the Corporate Knights Leadership Diversity Index are the companies with the greatest visible minority and female representation in both the boardroom and the Executive suite. In the Overall Diversity score, Vancity scored first place with 71.9% and was the top ranked financial service company.

Date: 2007 October
Award: Canada’s Top 100 Employers
Who: Vancity
From: Maclean’s Magazine
For: Vancity was chosen as one of the best places to work in Canada by Maclean’s Magazine as part of their annual Top 100 Employers issue. The article specifically noted our flexible benefits, carbon neutral initiative, and reduced loan rates.

Date: 2007 October
Award: The Top 100 Employers
Who: Vancity
From: Financial Post – National Post
For: Vancity was recognized as one of the nation’s top employers, one that is poised for exceptional future growth and that offers excellent career prospects.

Date: 2007 October
Award: B.C.’s Top 40 Employers
Who: Vancity
From: The Vancouver Sun – Victoria Times Colonist
For: Vancity was recognized as a top employer in B.C. for our progressive employee programs, which include; the ability to purchase extra vacation days in exchange for reduced coverage under their flexible benefits plan; matching RSP contributions, a pension plan and retiree health coverage; new employees’ three weeks paid vacation, which increases after only four years: discounted loan rates for hybrid vehicles and Vancity’s set goal of going carbon neutral by 2010.

Date: 2007 October
Award: Certificate in Digital Marketing
Who: Vancity
From: Marketing Magazine
For: Vancity received a Digital Marketing Certificate for our online community, ChangeEverything.ca. The Digital Marketing Awards represent the best of interactive marketing in Canada. Winners are industry judged and chosen for their innovation and creativity, and for leveraging the interactive environment to its full potential.

Date: 2007 October
Award: Excellence in Urban Development
Who: Vancity Enterprises
From: Urban Development Institute
For: ’ project, Verdant at UniverCity@ SFU, won two awards from the Urban Development Institute. Verdant’s provision for affordable home ownership for SFU staff and faculty garnered an award in Innovations in Creating more Affordable Housing. Verdant was also received an award for Innovations in Creating more Sustainable Development, which recognized the project as a leading-edge example of healthy and sustainable building practices, including exceptionally high energy efficiency, water efficiency, and low-chemical building supplies.

Date: 2007 September
Award: Canada’s Most Trusted Companies for Privacy
Who: Vancity
From: Carlson Marketing Worldwide and U.S.-based privacy advocacy organization, the Ponemon Institute
For: Vancity ranked as the sixth most-trusted brand in Canada according to the survey, which evaluates consumer perceptions rather than actual privacy practices. Canadian respondents were asked to identify which brands, both Canadian and global, are the most trustworthy in terms of protecting private information.

Date: 2007 September
Award: Best of the City – Best in City Life, Best in Lifestyle
Who: Vancity
From: Georgia Straight
For: Vancity was voted the best financial institution by readers of the weekly newspaper. Vancity was chosen as the Best Environmentally Responsible Local Company, Best Local Employer, Best Place to Buy a Mortgage and Best Place to Buy RRSPs.

Date: 2007 August
Award: Innovation Award for Carbon Neutral Program
Who: Vancity
From: Credit Union Central of Canada
For: The National Credit Union Innovation Award is presented to a credit union that leads the way with innovations that strengthen the system. In 2007, Vancity Credit Union was recognized for our Carbon Neutral Program, which invests in Canadian initiatives that address climate change. The program integrates product innovation through the Clean Air Auto Loan, Cash-Back energy efficiency program, Climate Change Mortgage and Circadian Mutual Funds. It also extends into the community with the innovative Green Building Grants, the Carbon Offset program and many "green" community investments.

Date: 2007 June
Award: Top 100 Private Companies in B.C.
Who: Vancity
From: Business in Vancouver
For: Vancity was chosen as one of B.C.'s top private companies by Business in Vancouver.

Date: 2007 June
Award: Top 50 Corporate Citizens
Who: Vancity
From: Corporate Knights Magazine
For: Vancity was recognized for fulfilling its end of the social contract and managing our specific environmental, social and governance performance when going head-to-head with its sector peers.

Date: 2007 June
Award: Commuter Challenge Trophy
Who: Vancity
From: Better Environmentally Sound Transportation
For: In the 2007 Commuter Challenge, Vancity had the highest employee participation in 1000+ category. Over 90% of Vancity Group employees walked, cycled or took public transit - beating out our nearest competitor with had 72% participation. The Commuter Challenge aims to get as many Canadians as possible to commute to work using sustainable modes of transportation such a walking, cycling, transit, carpooling, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Date: 2007 April
Award: SHARE Partnership Award
Who: Maillardville Vancity Community Branch
From: SHARE Family & Community Services
For: In recognition of the branch's demonstrated support for SHARE's programs, services and initiatives. SHARE Family & Community Services Society is a non-profit, independent, community based agency providing leadership and programs in response to the social needs of the residents of the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra) and adjacent communities.

Date: 2007 April
Award: Best Workplaces in Canada
Who: Vancity
From: Canadian Business Magazine/Great Place to Work Institute Canada
For: Vancity ranked sixth and the top financial services company in the compilation of over 10,000 Canadian employee surveys. Programs like the employee engagement survey, executive visits, and discoverU recognized the importance of Vancity’s employees to the organization.

Date: 2007 April
Award: First Place – North American Sustainability Reporting Award
Who: Vancity/Citizens Bank of Canada
From: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres)
For: Vancity received First Place in North America for environmental, social and sustainability reporting in the 2004-2005 Accountability Report.

Date: 2007 April
Award: Best of Burnaby – Readers’ Choice 2007
Who: Vancity
From: Burnaby Now Newspaper
For: Vancity's five Burnaby branches were recognized as the "Most Community Minded Business" by the readers of the Burnaby Now in the 10th annual Readers' Choice supplement.

Date: 2007 April
Award: Community Leadership
Who: Dave Mowat
From: Vancouver Board of Trade
For: The award recognized former Vancity CEO, Dave Mowat’s, outstanding commitment and leadership in furthering the community's economic, social and cultural objectives.

Date: 2007 April
Award: Business Leadership
Who: Dockside Green Partnership –
From: Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
For: Vancity was recognized for a significant and sustained commitment to positive business development, economic growth and diversity within the Greater Victoria. Vancity is partnering with Windmill Developments for Dockside Green in Victoria – the first LEED Platinum Development in Canada.

Date: 2007 April
Award: Official Honoree – 11th Annual Webby Awards
Who: ChangeEverything.ca
From: International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences
For: Vancity was an honoree in the Social/Networking Category for our online community, ChangeEverything.ca. The Webby Awards are the leading international awards honoring excellence on the Internet.