Why has Meridian developed an ESG program?

We’ve always had elements of ESG incorporated throughout our business. Now we’ve introduced a framework for organizing our ESG initiatives in a manner that clearly helps us realize our enterprise’s strategic goals and, ultimately, our Purpose and Vision. For more information on specific initiatives, read our inaugural <a href="~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf" target="_blank">ESG report</a> or <a href="~/personal" target="_blank">visit our website</a>.

How is Meridian committing to emissions reduction and contributing to a sustainable economy?

We’re aligning our spaces with our climate goals, reducing operational impacts and contributing towards building thriving communities for all. We’re also committed to impactful climate policies and financially supporting the transition to a cleaner economy. We plan to ensure our emissions sources are on pathways to net zero by 2050 or sooner.Read more about the steps we’re taking to become a local <a href="~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/esg/Our-Climate-Commitment.pdf" target="_blank">climate leader in the financial sector.</a>

How is Meridian creating financial products that contribute to the well-being of our Members?

Our objective is to enhance our focus on financial solutions that support the transition to a green and sustainable economy. We engage in conversations beyond risk and return by looking to align our Members’ investments with their personal values and partnering with multiple leading firms tha offer responsible investing solutions. For more information, please visit the <a href="~/wealth/responsible-investing" target="_blank">Responsible Investing</a> section of our website.

What is Meridian doing to make a positive impact in communities where we do business?

Community engagement is more than making donations; our employees actively volunteer their time and professional skills. We support initiatives related to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, affordable housing, building financial confidence and providing access to people from historically marginalized communities. We’re working to address some of the key challenges facing communities today and helping them become more resilient through strategic local&nbsp;partnerships, volunteerism and employee giving.<a href="~/about-meridian/community" target="_blank">Learn more about the organizations we support</a>.If you have an initiative that helps communities thrive, <a href="~/about-meridian/community/community-sponsorships/good-neighbour-program" target="_blank">visit our Good Neighbour Program</a> to learn how we can help.

How does Meridian support Members and communities in addressing the growing challenges to affordable housing?

We partner with several non-profit, community and housing groups to help low- to medium-income earners obtain mortgages while also volunteering to teach vital financial skills necessary for home ownership. We are proud to work with Volunteer Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Options for Homes and Jaycee Brantford Non-profit Homes, moving people into their own homes with confidence and pride. <a href="~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf" target="_blank">Our new ESG report</a> describes our commitment to affordable housing in more detail.

How is Meridian interacting with and supporting Indigenous communities?

Meridian has pledged to acknowledge, listen to, and learn more about the Indigenous community and its ongoing struggle for justice and equality. We’re a lead sponsor of Niagara’s Celebration of Nations and support organizations like Right to Play’s Youth Leadership Program, First Nations University and the Save the Evidence Campaign. Read <a href="~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf" target="_blank">Standing with Indigenous Communities</a> in our inaugural ESG report.

How does Meridian maintain Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Reconciliation (DEIBR) at the Board level?

The Board of Directors has adopted a <a href="~/about-meridian/corporate/governance/board-elections-and-nominations#diversity" target="_blank">Statement of Intent</a> stating that Meridian recognizes and embraces the benefits of DEIBR in Board members. We believe a truly diverse Board includes and makes good use of differences in skills, regional and industry experience, background, age, race, gender identity, racial or ethnic identity, Indigenous status, abilities, sexual orientation, cultures and other attributes of Directors. Meridian considers diversity of thought, experience and background important. The best-qualified candidates will be recommended for election to Meridian’s Board, considering the broad diversity required to represent Ontario’s population.These practices are also embraced by the organization through our Employee Resource Groups, which help create a sense of belonging while building awareness and accountability. In addition, our Voice of the Employee program regularly measures employee engagement and the employee experience. Learn more in the <a href="~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf" target="_blank">People and Culture section</a> of our ESG report.

How does Meridian ensure compliance on risk topics?

At Meridian, everyone is a risk manager, and we actively work with every level of the organization to ensure understanding and compliance. We maintain a robust annual all-employee compliance training program and actively detect and deter money laundering activities while promoting Member education on fraud and privacy threats. Learn more in the <a href="~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf" target="_blank">Governance section</a> of our inaugural ESG report.

Can I read Meridian ESG reports from previous years?

Yes, a copy of the full 2021 Meridian ESG report is available. <a href="~/getmedia/266569dd-d021-4a7b-aec6-5c4ffcebfb0f/2021-ESG-Report.pdf">Explore the full Meridian ESG 2021 report (PDF, 7 MB)</a>

Environmental, Social, and Governance at Meridian

Q: Why has Meridian developed an ESG program?

&lt;p&gt;We&#x2019;ve always had elements of ESG incorporated throughout our business. Now we&#x2019;ve introduced a framework for organizing our ESG initiatives in a manner that clearly helps us realize our enterprise&#x2019;s strategic goals and, ultimately, our Purpose and Vision. For more information on specific initiatives, read our inaugural &lt;a href=&quot;~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ESG report&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;~/personal&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;visit our website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: How is Meridian committing to emissions reduction and contributing to a sustainable economy?

&lt;p&gt;We&#x2019;re aligning our spaces with our climate goals, reducing operational impacts and contributing towards building thriving communities for all. We&#x2019;re also committed to impactful climate policies and financially supporting the transition to a cleaner economy. We plan to ensure our emissions sources are on pathways to net zero by 2050 or sooner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Read more about the steps we&#x2019;re taking to become a local &lt;a href=&quot;~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/esg/Our-Climate-Commitment.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;climate leader in the financial sector.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Q: How is Meridian creating financial products that contribute to the well-being of our Members?

&lt;p&gt;Our objective is to enhance our focus on financial solutions that support the transition to a green and sustainable economy. We engage in conversations beyond risk and return by looking to align our Members&#x2019; investments with their personal values and partnering with multiple leading firms tha offer responsible investing solutions. For more information, please visit the &lt;a href=&quot;~/wealth/responsible-investing&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Responsible Investing&lt;/a&gt; section of our website.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: What is Meridian doing to make a positive impact in communities where we do business?

&lt;p&gt;Community engagement is more than making donations; our employees actively volunteer their time and professional skills. We support initiatives related to the 2SLGBTQIA&#x2B; community, affordable housing, building financial confidence and providing access to people from historically marginalized communities. We&#x2019;re working to address some of the key challenges facing communities today and helping them become more resilient through strategic local&amp;nbsp;partnerships, volunteerism and employee giving.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;~/about-meridian/community&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Learn more about the organizations we support&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you have an initiative that helps communities thrive, &lt;a href=&quot;~/about-meridian/community/community-sponsorships/good-neighbour-program&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;visit our Good Neighbour Program&lt;/a&gt; to learn how we can help.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: How does Meridian support Members and communities in addressing the growing challenges to affordable housing?

&lt;p&gt;We partner with several non-profit, community and housing groups to help low- to medium-income earners obtain mortgages while also volunteering to teach vital financial skills necessary for home ownership. We are proud to work with Volunteer Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Options for Homes and Jaycee Brantford Non-profit Homes, moving people into their own homes with confidence and pride. &lt;a href=&quot;~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Our new ESG report&lt;/a&gt; describes our commitment to affordable housing in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: How is Meridian interacting with and supporting Indigenous communities?

&lt;p&gt;Meridian has pledged to acknowledge, listen to, and learn more about the Indigenous community and its ongoing struggle for justice and equality. We&#x2019;re a lead sponsor of Niagara&#x2019;s Celebration of Nations and support organizations like Right to Play&#x2019;s Youth Leadership Program, First Nations University and the Save the Evidence Campaign. Read &lt;a href=&quot;~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Standing with Indigenous Communities&lt;/a&gt; in our inaugural ESG report.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: How does Meridian maintain Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Reconciliation (DEIBR) at the Board level?

&lt;p&gt;The Board of Directors has adopted a &lt;a href=&quot;~/about-meridian/corporate/governance/board-elections-and-nominations#diversity&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Statement of Intent&lt;/a&gt; stating that Meridian recognizes and embraces the benefits of DEIBR in Board members. We believe a truly diverse Board includes and makes good use of differences in skills, regional and industry experience, background, age, race, gender identity, racial or ethnic identity, Indigenous status, abilities, sexual orientation, cultures and other attributes of Directors. Meridian considers diversity of thought, experience and background important. The best-qualified candidates will be recommended for election to Meridian&#x2019;s Board, considering the broad diversity required to represent Ontario&#x2019;s population.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These practices are also embraced by the organization through our Employee Resource Groups, which help create a sense of belonging while building awareness and accountability. In addition, our Voice of the Employee program regularly measures employee engagement and the employee experience. Learn more in the &lt;a href=&quot;~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;People and Culture section&lt;/a&gt; of our ESG report.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: How does Meridian ensure compliance on risk topics?

&lt;p&gt;At Meridian, everyone is a risk manager, and we actively work with every level of the organization to ensure understanding and compliance. We maintain a robust annual all-employee compliance training program and actively detect and deter money laundering activities while promoting Member education on fraud and privacy threats. Learn more in the &lt;a href=&quot;~/MeridianCreditUnion/media/Meridian-Credit-Union/pdfs/2021-ESG-Report.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Governance section&lt;/a&gt; of our inaugural ESG report.&lt;/p&gt;

Q: Can I read Meridian ESG reports from previous years?

&lt;p&gt;Yes, a copy of the full 2021 Meridian ESG report is available. &lt;a href=&quot;~/getmedia/266569dd-d021-4a7b-aec6-5c4ffcebfb0f/2021-ESG-Report.pdf&quot;&gt;Explore the full Meridian ESG 2021 report (PDF, 7 MB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Environmental, Social,
and Governance (ESG)

Read the 2023 report (PDF, 10 MB)

Our deep dedication to communities, people, and the planet

Meridian’s 2023 ESG report invites you to learn about our approach, plans, and performance relating to our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy.

Our vision is to be recognized as an inclusive, transparent, and people-focused financial partner. We focus on the long-term interests of Meridian Members and the communities we serve. We are a business that uses its profits in service of our purpose. By doing so, we deepen relationships with existing Members and foster lasting relationships with new ones.

Environment

We work to minimize the environmental impact of our operations and services

Social

We play an active role in the community and treat our employees, Members and suppliers fairly, equitably and respectfully

Governance

We consider long-term environmental and social impacts when making decisions and policies

Putting our purpose into action

All across Ontario in 2023

$4.5 million in community investment

Being a good corporate citizen is at the heart of our business and has been an integral part of who we are for more than 80 years. We partner with organizations that serve those facing economic barriers on the key challenges confronting communities today, with a focus on housing affordability, access to financial services, gaining financial confidence, and climate change.

$327 million in planet-friendly assets

Sustainable environmental practices will ensure that we can continue to plan for a future that is clean, resilient and diverse. We had $327 million in assets under management (AUM) of green, sustainable, and sustainability-linked products.

$10 million to assist Indigenous governments

We invested in a debt security issuance by the First Nations Finance Authority, a not-for-profit offering pooled financing options for Indigenous governments.

$161.1 million in Path to Purpose support

We support borrowers in three Path to Purpose categories including affordable housing, healthcare and social assistance, and borrowers who self-select through voluntary disclosure, such as a women-owned, Black-owned or Indigenous businesses.

Read our 2023 ESG Report (PDF, 10 MB)