Oct 16 News: Vancity in the top 100 employers

October 16, 2003 - Mediacorp Canada Inc. and Maclean's magazine have named Vancity Credit Union one of the top 100 employers in Canada. Vancity is one of nine Lower Mainland companies and one of two full-service financial institutions in Canada to make the list.

A Toronto-based publisher specializing in employment-related books and periodicals, Mediacorp reviewed 51,000 employers across Canada. More than 6,000 fast-growing companies were invited to apply to get their name on the prestigious list and approximately 1,000 applications were completed.

When choosing the finalists, Mediacorp looked at physical workplace; work atmosphere and social environment; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; and training and skills development.

This great news will hit newsstands in the October 20 issue of Maclean's magazine and is already featured at www.macleans.ca. To more thoroughly showcase the winners, Mediacorp will soon release its third annual edition of Canada's Top 100 Employers, which is described as a definitive guide for job seekers and details Canadian firms that lead their peers in providing a great place to work.

Wanna join the Vancity team? Check out our exciting career opportunities at www.vancitycareers.com!

Just one of the programs that took Vancity to the top

In 2001, after more than five years with Vancity, Member Communications Specialist Tonya Frizzell decided it was time to expand her skill set and see another part of the world.

Thanks to Vancity's leave of absence policy, she was able to spend fourteen months in Albania, volunteering as a business advisor at a small non-government organization. Tonya worked with employees to enhance their skills and better Albania's economic climate and business environment. Vancity also gave a donation to the organization to fund Tonya's placement.

Tonya returned to Vancity in 2002 with a breadth of knowledge and a renewed commitment to her communities and helping those around her.

Companies should be more open to this," Frizzell says. "I brought back skills and, after a good, long break, a fresh perspective."

Vancity is Canada’s largest credit union, with $9.3 billion in assets, 305,000 members, and 41 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Vancity was chosen as the best place to work in Canada for 2005 by Maclean’s Magazine as part of its annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers issue. Vancity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. Both Vancity and Citizens Bank are guided by a commitment to corporate social responsibility, and to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.