Lessons in operationalizing social finance: the case of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union

Citation:

Geobey, S. , & Weber, O. . (2013). Lessons in operationalizing social finance: the case of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union. Journal of Sustainable Finance & InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, 3, 124-137. Taylor & Francis.

Abstract:

With $16.2 billion of assets the Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity) has the largest asset base of any member of the Global Alliance on Banking and Values, a global association of ethical banks, and also has the largest asset base of Canada's credit unions. This article analyses the social financing Vancity conducts and the disclosure of the social impact of the products and services they offer. The results suggest that they are on the path to realizing a 100% social finance portfolio but that they have not arrived there yet. In particular, their personal retail products and services still offer room for improvement. Furthermore, their reporting lacks an indicator based on comparative figures that would allow stakeholders to compare the impact of Vancity's products and services  with those of other financial institutions.