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ACU: a passion from within
Winnipeg, MB – December 4, 2019
If one way to determine if a company is a truly outstanding employer is to check with their employees, then Assiniboine Credit Union must be doing a lot of things right. Employee feedback at the Manitoba credit union is, more-often-than-not, of the glowing kind.
“The positive response we get from our employees is a real source of pride for us,” says Kim Champion Taylor, Vice-President of People Solutions. “I truly am impressed with the depth of connection employees have with our vision and values, and how that translates into successful careers with ACU.”
One such story is that of Vera Couto, who came to Winnipeg from her native Portugal. Her first job was to clean offices, including the ACU head office on Main Street.
“As I cleaned the ATM area of the Main Branch each morning, I would see the ACU team smiling and laughing with each other and with members. I knew that I could do more than clean floors and I was determined to be on that team,” Couto says.
“Eighteen months later I applied for a position, and now I’ve been promoted to a Member Services Coordinator position at a new branch. In Portugal I worked for the same employer for nine years and never felt as welcome or part of a team as I do at ACU. They took a chance on me and believed in me, and I want to help others now in return more than ever.”
Champion Taylor says stories like these make ACU a special place.
“Vera’s story isn’t unique in ACU but it certainly is special. Career opportunities like these aren’t created without talented and values-aligned leaders and colleagues who have this exceptional ability to look beyond traditional qualifications, and find the values and characteristics of an individual that will support their personal and professional success at ACU.”
Sharmila Vijayann, a Learning Solutions Business Partner at ACU, saw the difference right from the start.
“The way my interview flowed and how my skills demo was conducted, I got a strong sense of purpose, commitment, inclusion and integrity from the whole panel,” says Vijayann, who has been with ACU since 2016.
“I enjoy participating in diverse cross functional projects, each of which brings deep insights, interesting challenges and meaningful experiences, adding value to my time here. And I deeply appreciate the ACU vision, mission and values, our business ethics, commitment to the triple bottom line — people, planet and prosperity — and the importance ACU places in its employees,” she adds.
Mani Sheppard-Luangkhot, a Financial Access Programs Manager, understands the importance of financial literacy. Her family arrived from Laos in 1985 and learning about banking and finances in Canada was challenging. After her post-secondary education, she was able to pursue her dream of helping others.
“My desire was to work with an organization that fosters diversity and inclusion, one that is just as committed as I am about giving back to community,” she says. “I was able to pursue my passion to work with financial literacy and to play a part in financial inclusion for the underserved. As someone once said, “it’s about building community, not selling community”.
A big part of fostering the strong belief in what ACU does is the Being Assiniboine program. Every employee experiences this in-depth, three-day workshop that guides everyone through an exploration of how a financial institution can have real impact on a community, and how each employee owns a piece of that impact while working at ACU.
“These three days provide everyone with an opportunity to reconnect with the ACU vision and mission. The workshop provides everyone the chance to examine how they themselves play an important role in creating that ideal community every day at work,” says Champion Taylor.
The ACU mission is to provide financial services for the betterment of members, employees and communities. Adds Champion Taylor, “Providing employees with the opportunity to bring their whole selves to work and engage in meaningful work, is one way we remain true to our mission, while helping them build a rewarding career.”
For more information, click here.
Contact:
Kim Champion Taylor
Chief People Officer, People Solutions
Direct Line: 204.258.3487
kchampiontaylor@assiniboine.mb.ca