Our Social Responsibility Promise outlines our aims for improving relationships within our communities, our environment and the people around us.

Scotwest Credit Union is committed to ensuring that everyone within our common bond has access to our fair and ethical financial products:

• We operate an open-membership criteria allowing anyone living or working in the west of Scotland, Stirling, Perth & Kinross, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway or the Highlands to join and save for their future
• Our lending policies provide access on a non-discriminatory basis

We believe that everyone should have access to the information they need to make the best choices for their financial lives:

• We will work with local authorities to ensure that members across our communities are aware of their entitlements
• We will work with charities and organisations across the west of Scotland and beyond to help improve access to training and information
• We will endeavour to provide this access across as wide a variety of platforms as people need

Caring about individuals also extends to caring about the people we work alongside, the people who make Scotwest Credit Union so well regarded across the west of Scotland:

• We are a committed Living Wage Employer
• We ensure that organisations we regularly employ also pay their staff Living Wage.
• We support our staff in their development to reach their full potential
• We are committed to equal opportunities for all and take steps to eliminate the Gender pay gap
• We do not employ inappropriate zero hours contracts

 

 

Caring about individual members and their happiness is more than just focussing on their financial lives. An individual’s happiness derives from their wider life within their community and the environment that they live in.

Scotwest recognises the donation of time, money and resources to local charities and organisations improves the feeling of community spirit and support. Strengthening ours and their ties with local communities improves the daily lives of our members, their families, friends and neighbours:

• The Scotwest Community Awards allows members to nominate groups and organisations in their local communities for financial support
• The Annual Director’s Charity Awards randomly selects one Scotwest Member to choose a charity to receive a donation
• We are committed to volunteering expertise and resources to other credit unions within our common bond to ensure their continued support of their local communities
• We will offer Scotwest employees volunteering opportunities, individual or collectively, with local groups and charities
• We are committed to promptly paying organisations and companies for their services

 

Social responsibility does not stop on our own doorstep. The planet is now more than ever under threat due to climate change and we recognise that conservation and the redress of our impact on the environment through our ongoing business practices is crucial for all:

• We automatically opt all new members registered for online banking out of receiving paper free statements
• We provide recycling facilities encouraging all staff to recycle widely
• We are committed to reducing paper production with the introduction of new technologies and systems, while shredding and recycling all paper currently produced
• We have removed single use plastic cups from staff drinking stations