Awards 2008

Date: 2008 December
Award: Green Company Award for Environmental Leadership
Who: Vancity
From: Canadian Investment Awards
For: The Canadian Investment Awards presented their first-ever Green Company Award for Environmental Leadership to Vancity. There were a number of Vancity initiatives that impressed the judges, including becoming the first North American-based financial institution to be carbon neutral; producing a biennial accountability report measuring environmental performance; and launching innovative employee initiatives that helps employees reduce their carbon emissions.

Date: 2008 November
Award: Corporate Knights Diversity Leadership Index
Who: Vancity
From: Corporate Knights Magazine
For: The constituents of the Corporate Knights Leadership Diversity Index are the companies with the greatest visible minority and female representation in both the boardroom and the Executive suite. In the Overall Diversity score, Vancity tied for first place for with 72.7% and was the top ranked financial service company.

Date: 2008 November
Award: 2008 Central 1 Innovation Awards
Who: Vancity
From: Central 1 Credit Union
For: Vancity was a 2nd place winner in the Services Category and 3rd place winner in the Products Category at the 2008 Central 1 Innovation Awards. The Innovation Awards program is open to any B.C. and Ontario credit union, their subsidiaries and alliances, and departments within Central 1 Credit Union.

Date: 2008 November
Award: 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada
Who: Tamara Vrooman
From: Women's Executive Network (WXN)
For: The Women's Executive Network (WXN) released its 6th annual list of the 100 most powerful women in Canada. Winning in the Corporate Executives category, Tamara is recognized as one of the most senior female leaders in Canadian business.

Date: 2008 November
Award: 2008 Housing Award for Best Practices in Affordable Housing
Who: Vancity Enterprises’ Verdant at UniverCity
From: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
For: This prestigious awards program recognizes best practices that have helped to improve the quality, choice and affordability of housing in Canada.

Date: 2008 September
Award: 2008 LiveSmart BC Green Cities Awards
Who: Dockside Green
From: The Province of British Columbia
For: The City of Victoria/Dockside Green was one of two community partners to receive LiveSmart BC Green Cities Partnership Award, in recognition of its leadership and innovation in sustainability.

Date: 2008 September
Award: Best of Vancouver 2008
Who: Vancity
From: The Georgia Straight
For: Vancity received four wins in the Georgia Straight’s annual Best of Vancouver awards, and was recognized as the:

• Best place to get a mortgage
• Best place to buy RRSPs
• Most environmentally responsible local company
• Best local employer to work for.

Date: 2008 July
Award: World’s highest rating for environmental sustainability
Who: Dockside Green
From: LEED Green Building Rating System™ developed by the U.S. Green Building Council
For: The first phase of Dockside Green (which includes 95 homes in two condo buildings, townhomes and commercial space ) achieved the highest rating in the world at the Platinum level in the category of new construction. Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair with the U.S. Green Building Council says, “Dockside Green and Vancity Credit Union are to be commended for this significant achievement, and the leadership they have shown with this project sets a high bar for all of us.”

Date: 2008 June
Award: Commuter Challenge Trophy
Who: Vancity
From: Better Environmentally Sound Transportation
For: In the 2007 Commuter Challenge, Vancity had the highest employee participation in 1000+ category both locally in the Lower Mainland and across Canada. Over 90% of Vancity Group employees walked, cycled or took public transit - beating out our nearest competitor with had 72% participation. The Commuter Challenge aims to get as many Canadians as possible to commute to work using sustainable modes of transportation such a walking, cycling, transit, carpooling, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Date: 2008 June
Award: Environmental Award for 2008 in the Planning and Development category
Who: Vancity Enterprises
From: City of Burnaby
For: Verdant at UniverCity on Burnaby Mountain was recognised in the Planning and Development category for its innovative environmental features that include environmentally sensitive site planning, alternative energy and climate control, water conservation, storm water or wastewater management, conservation of energy, reuse of materials, the protection and enhancement of urban streams or the enhancement of wildlife habitat.

Date: 2008 June
Award: Go Green Certification Recipient
Who: Vancity
From: BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association)
For: Vancity has once again achieved Go Green Certification with BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Canada. This national environmental certification for commercial buildings is awarded to companies that have met building management best practices in 10 key areas.

Date: 2008 May
Award: 2008 Marketing Awards
Who: Vancity
From: Marketing Magazine
For: Vancity received recognition at the Marketing Awards – a national award show that honours top creative work from across the country. From thousands of submissions, Vancity and our agency TBWA Vancouver received 5 awards:

Gold

• Television Campaign Under $50,000 - Vancity VIFF Sponsorship

• Integrated campaign – 2007 Vancity brand campaign (the integrated campaign category is one of the more prestigious categories)
• Television Single Under $50,000 - Vancity VIFF Sponsorship, "Candy"
• Television Single Under $50,000 - Vancity VIFF Sponsorship, "Chairs"

• Television Single Under $50,000 - Vancity VIFF Sponsorship, "Headroom"

Date: 2008 April
Award: Canada's Most Earth-Friendly Employers
Who: Vancity
From: Canada's Top 100 Employers
For: Vancity is being recognized as an exceptional employer that has been successful at integrating environmental values as part of their corporate culture. Employers were evaluated based on the unique initiatives and programs developed, environmental footprint reduction, employee involvement in programs, and the extent initiatives have become linked to the employer's identity.

Date: 2008 April
Award: 2008 Top Cause + Action Champion Award
Who: Vancity 's 2007 brand campaign
From: Strategy Magazine
For: Vancity was recognized at Strategy Magazine's Social Responsibility Forum for corporate social responsibility branding that is "changing minds and matter." The submissions were judged on how a brand's uniqueness, awareness, growth potential, positive impact, and how the social strategy aligned with the brand's positioning.

Date: 2008 March
Award: Canada’s Best Diversity Employers
Who: Vancity Group
From: Canada’s Top 100 Employers
For: The award recognizes the nation’s leaders in workplace diversity and inclusiveness among several employee groups: women, visible minorities, people with disabilities, Aboriginal Canadians, and gay and lesbian employees.

Date: 2008 March
Award: Excellence in Urban Sustainability
Who: Dockside Green Partnership – Vancity Enterprises
From: GLOBE Foundation
For: Dockside Green in Victoria was recognized for its combination of environmental, social and economic planning, which have shaped the community to be a world leader in urban sustainability principles. The project is the first in North America committed to target all buildings to be LEED platinum.

Date: 2008 March
Award: Influential Women in Business Awards
Who: Patrice Pratt
From: Business in Vancouver
For: Patrice Pratt was one of six honourees of Business in Vancouver’s ninth annual Influential Women in Business Awards ceremony. Honourees are selected based on their outstanding achievements in business, and contribution to their industry, and influence in the local business community.

Date: 2008 February
Award: The Best Financial Service/Bank in Vancouver
Who: Vancity
From:West Ender
For: Vancity was voted The Best Financial Services/Bank/Credit Union in Vancouver by thousands of West Ender readers for the newspaper’s 11th annual "Best of the City" issue.