VanCity and MEC Honoured for Social Reporting

Kudos to both VanCity and MEC for being recognised in the sixth annual Ceres-Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Sustainability Reporting Awards. The Ceres-ACCA awards recognize and encourage exemplary reporting on sustainability issues by corporations and other organizations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

It's a laudable accomplishment in a rapidly congested field.

Of the 102 nominees, winners were selected by a panel of 14 judges who focused on the reports' completeness, credibility and effectiveness of communication.

Here's what was said:

Vancity Group, Vancouver, British Columbia: Vancity's winning 2004-2005 Accountability Report is an example of consolidated sustainability reporting, combining Vancity and Citizens Bank's sustainability reports into one. The report sets future targets and action plans and holds a member of Vancity's executive team accountable for each target. The report also provides an update on 44 targets and action plans set in 2004-2005.

For advice in preparing its report, Vancity invited 26 community leaders and members from across Canada to comment on the report's credibility, completeness, and responsiveness. Vancity also worked with stakeholders to set aggressive targets, invited external auditors to check how the organization is doing against these targets, report back the results - both good and bad, and verify that the report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative.

Mountain Equipment Co-op, Vancouver, British Columbia: Mountain Equipment Co-op's inaugural Accountability Report has helped the co-operative develop a reporting system and the capacity to measure and understand its performance. The report conveys the co-operative's commitment to transparency through full disclosure of non-compliance in its supply chain and of the material issues affecting the co-operative. The report also included the results of a series of employee engagement surveys and discusses employee satisfaction, turnover rates, and fair compensation.

As soon as the report on the judges is available, it'll be added to this post.

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Tags for information about: for:vsef, CSR, VanCity, MEC

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The Core Gore

Earlier we mentioned Dave Mowat's commitment to spreading the message of The Climate Project.

Tonight was the night and the Ridge in Kitsilano was the place. Were you there?
It's a few hours after the event and confusion rules over the jotted notes, recollections.

Forgive the random blurtings.

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Once past a phalanx of VanCity board-member-wannabes pressing pamphlets and urging support the "scene" was serene. A mild surprise given the e-mail invitation noted "capacity crowd anticipated". My guess, the Ridge was half capacity. I could be wrong. I was put off by the four complete rows reserved for VanCity that seemed sparsely populated. I never checked for lurkers in the balcony.

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The white letters on the black screen at the front of the theatre ask me ...

"Can you handle the truth?"

"What can you do?"

The questions are too hard. I scan the gathering crowd wondering how many will litter the floor with discarded VanCity Board election material. I don't need to wonder long.

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The couple next to me drove separately. One from home. The other from work. Guessing they haven't looked at the adapted one tonne challenge handed to them as they walked into the theatre.

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It feels like we're starting late.

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I think I heard Dave say, "Almost everything good tracks back to our use of fossil fuel". I'm wondering how Gordon Gekko would deliver "The Core Gore".

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The talk swings between "we", "you", "We", "Us", "global", "national" ... getting dizzy.

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Nice to know the "enviro foot print" has a local connection. Nicer to mention Bill Rees. Nicer still to let folks know he and John Helliwell will present "Saving the planet and feeling good about it".

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Nice graphic of Florida coastline changed by 6m rise in tide levels. [Note to self: suggest Dave considers Tufte on Visual Explanations.]

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A couple of nice VanCity newsy bits:

A soft launch of a Climate Change Mortgage

Here's Dave telling you more:

VanCity working with Pattison Group to use White-LEDs instead of using energy eating neon.

Wondered if they'd given any thought to working with the Light Up the World Foundation - LUTW. Maybe LUTW will benefit from the Climate Fund created by the climate mortgage.

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Time to take action:

1. Reduce home temperature by 5 degrees - when not at home.

2. Use low-flow showerheads.

3. Turn hot water temperature down to 49 degrees.

Will that mess with the warranty?

4. Wash clothes in cold water.

5. Replace light bulbs.

See LUTW above

6. Weatherstrip windows and doors.

7. Upgrade my home's insulation.

Audience member points out how landlord/strata might need to be consulted

8. Use "Green Power".

Ummm. Described as paying extra so BC Hydro can go green. Think Dave needs to chat with Bob Elton.

9. Maintain my vehicle regularly.

These action steps were suggested by the good folks at the Pembina Institute. Right?

10. Don't idle my vehicle.

Pembina was founded in Drayton Valley, Alberta. Right?

11. Use ethanol blended gas.

Much oil pumping/farming happening in the Drayton Valley?

12. Reduce my cruise speed.

13. Take public transit to work.

Might have been nice to plug eco-density

14. Replace my car with one that is more fuel efficient

Is this still "The Core Gore"?

15. Take one less flight

Using the handy-dandy Pembina/VanCity Take-Eco-Action meter each attendee calculated their opportunity to reduce GHG.

Apparently if we all did these things we'd counter the emissions of 66 cars. Which is about half the number of cars parked at the theatre. [How long are we countering these emissions for?]

We done good!

Vancouver Eco-density takes on a new meaning.

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BTW - We're including Livestock’s long shadow in next months newsletter.

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Tags for information about: for:vsef, Social Economy, Climate, VanCity

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Dave's responsibility is to “pay it forward”

The "Dave" is Dave Mowat, VanCity CEO. Dave heard the call of The Climate Project and responded to be one of the

1,000 people to [travel to] Nashville, Tennessee and Sydney, Australia [for training] to become Climate Change Messengers who will present the information delivered by Al Gore in the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.

Dave joined others in January for the two-day program that familiarized trainees with the science of climate change, equipped them with new presentation skills, while developing "a dynamic online community to inform lecturers and promote ongoing activities".

The VanCity announcement gives the following backgrounder:

Wondering how Dave ended up rubbing shoulders with the former Vice President of the United States? It started during a meeting with Novex Courier CEO and clean air advocate Robert Safrata. Dave and Robert were talking about how to get more hybrid vehicles on the streets of Vancouver when Robert mentioned the Al Gore training.

If you're interested ... here's sustainability reports from VanCity and Novex.

Anyway .. Dave is out and working the circuit. VanCity members will have a chance to hear him at a free event on March 8th. Details are pending but here's the link.
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Tags for information about: for:vsef, Social Economy, Sustainability, VanCity

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An Investment in Affordable Credit ... elsewhere

This past December 11th, Citizens Bank - a subsidiary of VanCity - announced the launch of their Shared World Term Deposit (SWTD).

This is how Citizens outlines the concept of the SWTD:

Your investment dollars help provide affordable credit to people in the world’s poorest communities, allowing them to educate their children, obtain secure housing for their families, develop micro and small businesses, and otherwise improve their quality of life.

Citizens is pooling the capital with the Calvert Social Investment Foundation. In short, Citizens piggybacks on Calvert to invest in below-market rates in international community loans funds that address poverty issues around the world. These community loan funds provide credit to help individuals and communities build assets and transform lives.

Here's a link to see the current (assume Q4 06) allocation of the capital. Without doubt, it's a blue ribbon inventory of laudable organizations.

Unfortunately missing from the information provided by Citizens Bank is any mention of the "spread on the yield". After all ... offering 3.70% (Dec 8th estimated yield) on a non-redeemable 12-month term deposit makes one wonder.

It remains to be seen whether the SWTD can capture the attention of RRSP savers like Ethical Funds. We hope it does, and opens opportunities to expand MicroFinance.

Maybe even in our backyard ...

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Tags for information about: for:vsef, Social Economy, MicroCredit, MicroFinance

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VanCity Award Announced

Earlier we mentioned the VanCity Award.

Well, today's the day. The VanCity Award has been announced.

And the award goes to ...

Well, before that ... a note of congratulations to the VanCity members. The VanCity Award is selected on the basis of the VanCity membership voting to support a shortlist of candidate organisations. By way of reminder the shortlisted organisations were:

AIDS Vancouver Island and Cool Aid Society

Atira Women’s Resource Society

Crisis Centre

Quest Outreach Society

Given VanCity is a cooperative, that's a solid illustration of returning value back to the community.

So .. about that winner ...

Quest Outreach Society was selected.

You can read the VanCity press release, BC’s only food exchange program gets $1-million grant from credit union, for yourself. But here's a snippet:

A program that rescues high-quality food, keeping it out of landfills and redistributing it to non-profit agencies that feed hungry people across the Lower Mainland, has won a $1-million award from Vancity.

This year's $1-million Vancity Award goes to Quest Outreach Society for the expansion of BC's only food exchange program.

Last year, Quest Food Exchange diverted 6.6 million pounds of surplus high-quality food from Lower Mainland landfills, which added up to $7 million worth of food. Each day the organization fills, then empties, its Vancouver warehouse providing food to more than a hundred social service agencies feeding more than 45,000 people a month.

With the help of the Vancity Award, Quest will purchase a warehouse that will enable them to triple their capacity over two years. A larger space will mean the potential to rescue nearly 20 million pounds of high-quality food each year and redistribute it to nearly 150,000 people in the Lower Mainland each month.

"Quest would like to thank Vancity and its members for voting for us," says Shelley Wells, executive director of Quest. "As a result of campaigning, we have gained new food suppliers, new social service agency partners, new volunteers and now the funding for a new facility. With these new partnerships and the continued support of our donors, we can more strongly address the Lower Mainland's food distribution problem and connect high-quality, healthy food with those who need it most."

The $1-million Vancity Award, the largest corporate gift of its kind in Canada, was established in 2001 by Vancity's Board of Directors to support the social, environmental and economic well-being of the community by funding a project that would make a major, long-lasting impact on people's lives.

[...]

"These were all great projects and it would have been our privilege to support any of them, but in the end it was our members who decided the project that most resonated with them," says Elain Duvall, chair of Vancity's Board of Directors. "Quest's Food Exchange program fits both Vancity's environmental and social objectives. We think the idea of keeping good food out of landfills and into hungry bellies is inspirational."

[...]

Quest partners with non-profit organizations in Lower Mainland communities, including Vancouver; Burnaby; New Westminster, North Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Tri-Cities and Maple Ridge.

Before I forget ... VanCity is accepting applications for next year, until December 23, 2006.

Here's how the CBC covered the award.
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Tags for information about: for:vsef, VanCity, Nonprofit

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VanCity Award | The Market

An earlier post mentioned the VanCity Award and the call for members to vote and support one of four organizations short-listed for the million dollar award.

Again, the final four are:

AIDS Vancouver Island and Cool Aid Society

Atira Women’s Resource Society

Crisis Centre

Quest Outreach Society

Using the services of CrowdIQ we're experimenting. Our experiment is the VanCity Award Market.

We'd be tickled pink if you'd ...

Take the time to learn about the final four candidates for the VanCity Award

Start working on your application for the 2007 VanCity Award.

Encourage all your friends, who are VanCity members, to vote.

Share the news about our VCAM experiment.

Trade the VanCity Award Market, VCAM

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Tags for information about: for:vsef, VanCity

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VanCity Award | Voting Underway

If you're a member of the VanCity Credit Union, you can help decide the 2006 recipient of the $1,000,000.00 VanCity Award.

Eligible VanCity members can vote either online, in branch or by calling 604-877-7000 or 1-888-Vancity. Voting ends on Friday, October 13. You can only vote once.

VanCity has a comprehensive set of criteria for submissions to be considered for the VanCity Award.

To qualify for the Vancity Award, your project should:

be bold, innovative and exciting

be self-sustaining in the long term

use a single gift of $1 million

create a lasting legacy in our community

support the social, economic or environmental well-being of the community in which our members live and work

Your project may also:

be developmental in nature, taking up to five years to complete involve partnerships with other organizations

be a combination of operating, capital and endowment spending
Application process

The Vancity Award involves a two-stage process:

Stage one: a letter of intent to determine basic suitability

Stage two: a formal proposal for final evaluation

VanCity members have four organizations to consider. They are:

AIDS Vancouver Island and Cool Aid Society

Atira Women’s Resource Society

Crisis Centre

Quest Outreach Society

Remember ... voting is open until Friday, October 13, 2006. The results will be announced Thursday, November 23, 2006.

If you're interested in some of the other submissions ... take a look here.
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Tags for information about: for:vsef, Social Economy, Nonprofit, VanCity

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[Opportunity] VanCity Community Foundation - Manager, Communications and Resource Development

The Vancity Community Foundation is about to embark on a major planned giving fund development strategy focusing on the 330,000 Vancity Credit Union members and the Foundation's work in Community Economic Development.

Here's the role description and a link to the on-line application process ...

In this role the selected candidate will be working with Vancity staff, consultants and the Foundation's Board of Directors. The Manager of Communications and Resource Development will have the exciting opportunity to lead the implementation of the major planned giving fund development strategy.

In addition, the donor advised funds (Named funds) administered by the Foundation have undergone tremendous growth over the last number of years. A full review of these Funds is presently underway and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence and implement changes coming from this review.

If you are among the top resource developers in BC - adept at working with multiple stakeholders to lead, execute and measure resource development strategies. You have a deep understanding of our non-profit sector and local community economic development issues. Your profile is highlighted with an in depth background in planned giving and success in building communications strategies. In addition to a relevant university degree, you also have 5 years of related experience, including at least 2 years in a leadership role.

Note: This position is a one year contract.

Interested?

Here's the application.

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Tags for information about: for:vsef, VanCity, COOP, Credit_Union

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VanCity - Supports "Change Everything"

First, this isn't a plug for VanCity. Nothing against 'em, good people. Some of our friends work there.

Do want to give a heads up to the creation of a VanCity sponsored on-line community Change Everything.

What's that you say?

Just ignore that a VanCity advertising slogan is "Change Everything" (see image), the site intends to build a community of change makers. Kind of like 30 Days of Sustainability, or maybe One Day Vancouver.

Here's a sample:

Welcome to ChangeEverything.ca, the site for people who want to change themselves, their communities or their world. We're still putting the finishing touches on our design and making sure all the lights and buzzers work, but we're glad you're here — and we hope you'll jump right in.

In their own words, they are:

... an online community of changemakers. Some of us are longtime activists; some of us are community leaders; and a lot of us are just regular people with a few ideas for how we'd like to change things. We're focused in Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and Victoria, but we welcome people from anywhere in the world. All you need are positive ideas for change.

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If Change Everything does anything ... it may breathe some life into VanCity.

From the Change Everything Terms of Use:

• Although this site is hosted by Vancity, the site does not provide a method of communicating with Vancity. To contact us directly, visit vancity.com, call us at 1-888-Vancity (826-2489) or drop by your neighbourhood branch.

Keep hope alive!!

VanCity CEO - Transparently

Dave Mowat, CEO VanCity, spoke to the Vancouver Board of Trade about how his organization uses corporate transparency to its advantage. The presentation - 'BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS BY BARING ALL: How VanCity Uses Corporate Transparency to Its Advantage', happened over lunch.

The event was co-sponsored by VanCity subsidiary Citizens Bank of Canada. The Board of Trade marketed the luncheon, like so ...

The last few years have been financial record-breakers for VanCity. The credit union's legendary obsession with its values and sharing and baring all, has been a key factor in this success. While many organizations have been jumping on the corporate governance bandwagon, VanCity has been driving it for years. Today, VanCity is recognized as a global leader in corporate governance and enjoys one of the highest corporate reputation ratings in BC and beyond. The result? Record membership growth and earnings, and healthier communities as those profits are invested back into the region.

With the recent release of VanCity's latest Accountability Report, CEO Dave Mowat will open the books on corporate transparency at VanCity and discuss how it can be used to improve and grow your business.

The Board of Trade offers a link to the Powerpoint of Dave's comment. Does anyone have the text?

VanCity Award Finalists

Between September 6th and October 15th, members of the VanCity Credit Union are invited to vote for the 2004 recipient of the $1,000,000 VanCity Award. Members will receive ballots with their account statements, or can visit VanCity Award.

The VanCity Award is an annual grant to a local non-profit organization that allows VanCity to make significant impact in the community. Since 2001, members have had the opportunity to express their sentiments.

The candidate organizations this year are:

PLEA - Pacific Legal Education Association

Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society

Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children

Interestingly ... all the proposed non-profits will use the funds for building.