Cooperative Principles: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

While we’re certainly one-of-a-kind, we didn’t invent the co-op. Financial cooperatives and credit unions have been around since the 1800s, evolving with a shared set of principles that govern and guide like-minded companies around the globe.

From our commitment to community, to our unique mission in financial services, to your relationship and role as a member – the Eight Cooperative Principles of Credit Unions help to distinguish who we are and what we do. Take two of our core principles for example: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“Credit unions support diversity, equity, and inclusion as a shared credit union cooperative principle and continue to have a responsibility and take a leadership role in building and serving more diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities.” – National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF)

The eighth and final cooperative principle – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) – was adopted by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA, now known as America's Credit Unions) and the NCUF in 2019. Industry leaders noted that the first Cooperative Principle, Voluntary and Open Membership, has always included the views of DEI at a fundamental level, but wasn’t explicit about it. By officially acknowledging that these three tenets are deeply tied to the credit union business model, our trade organizations accepted a national role for our industry in building and serving more diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities. We can proudly say that Visions is actively engaged in DEI efforts for the benefit of our members, employees, and the communities we serve.

DEI initiatives can be traced back decades and have accelerated in the last decade.

Time and again, we’ve connected with historically underbanked communities by expanding our charter and introducing new fields of membership. For example, in just the five years between 2018 and 2023, we added five new counties to our charter, nine new branches, and eight in-school financial wellness centers to ensure access to financial services.
Our early efforts to incorporate automated technologies, such as ATMs and phone banking, made banking more accessible for members who had difficulties getting to a branch. We continue that tradition today with enhancements like Express Deposit, Live Chat in digital banking, Smart Teller through our Contact Center.
Our Culture and Inclusion team and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) strengthen our commitment to global citizenship and work to improve systems of inclusion within our workforce, workplace, and community. A large part of their successes are driven by employee education and awareness, emphasizing the four tenets of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and promoting cultural competency and humility across the organization.

With more than 50 branch locations, 900 permanent employees, 250,000 members and counting – we’re a diverse crowd! In addition to their range of financial needs, the Visions community represents different backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles, and we want them all to feel seen, heard, and welcome at Visions.

In our highly diverse and changing society, we’re eliminating inequalities when we reduce barriers and encourage participation from all – and there’s even a great business case for it! By improving our culture and inviting ideas from all levels of employees, we’re more competitive in our marketplace and increasing job satisfaction. It’s a win/win for Visions and a win/win for the community.

Learn more about Visions, our mission, values, and the credit union movement.

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