Independent Banker - April 2019 - 75

Next: Tell your bank's story better with this ICBA resource
communities it serves. These days, that involves significant
reach. Founded in 1885, PeoplesBank has grown into a
powerhouse community bank with 21 full-service branches
and 330 employees.
The focus on sustainability also aligns with the bank's
stated commitment to be a good corporate citizen, create a
great place to work and strive to improve the environment.
PeoplesBank staff believe the bank can help make the region
a healthier place to live, work and raise a family, and it
puts those values to work throughout the year through initiatives
ranging from hosting eco-friendly events and programs
to charitable giving and volunteer hours.
For example, all three of the branches that PeoplesBank
has built in the past several years have been constructed to
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,
standards. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council,
LEED has become a global benchmark for rating green
buildings based on a variety of criteria related to environmentally
friendly design, construction, operation and maintenance.
The community bank's Northampton and West
Springfield, Mass., branches both achieved LEED Gold certification,
while its Springfield branch is LEED Silver. Each
of the three buildings is highly energy efficient and minimizes
its impact on the environment through the use of recycled
and locally sourced materials where possible.
Employee driven
About a dozen bank employees serve on an environmental
committee that spearheads planning
events and initiatives for both in-house
and community-wide programs. " They are
really making sure that we are walking the
walk as well as talking the talk in the green
environment, " Bannister says.
PeoplesBank supports a variety of community
events at its branch locations, such
as hosting free recycling days to bring in
items like electronics and batteries, as
well as plant and seed giveaways on Earth
Day, April 22.
The community bank offers electric
vehicle charging stations for both employees
and the public at each of its three
LEED-certified branches. It incentivizes
employees to purchase electric or hybrid
PeoplesBank celebrates Earth Day with its Earth
Day Plants and Garden Seeds giveaway, where
customers receive tomato plants and seed
packets at select bank branches.
independentbanker.org Q 75
Beth Mattson-Teig is a writer in Minnesota.
vehicles through a rebate program.
PeoplesBank also has a multi-year commitment of providing
more than $65,000 in funding for local green initiatives,
supporting groups such as the Community Involved
in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) Food for All campaign,
Center for EcoTechnology and Mount Holyoke Wetlands
Restoration project, among others.
Bank employees log 10,000-plus volunteer hours each
year, many of which are related to environmental or cleanup
projects. For example, many participate in the annual
Source to Sea Cleanup of the Connecticut River, sponsored
by the Connecticut River Conservancy.
Bannister and the bank's leadership also believe community
banks are in an ideal position to be agents of change
in their communities. One way they can make a statement
is by directing some of their CRA grants to environmental
groups, Bannister notes. He believes community banks can
also help support sustainability by practicing what they
preach; promoting energy efficiency within bank branches
sends the right message to employees, customers and the
community, he says. PeoplesBank supports the idea that
even small changes, such as giving employees reusable coffee
mugs instead of disposable cups, can create big ripples.
" The employees and what we do internally are not just
window dressing, " he says. " It is a core value and part of our
corporate culture. "
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Independent Banker - April 2019

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