Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee
The ESG Committee is charged with the development of a set of standards for HSSCU’s operations that strive to address the challenges associated with climate change and broader sustainability issues. These can have significant implications for our members as individual householders and for the wider economy. The committee’s focus is on prioritising the environment whilst taking a person centred approach on social issues such as gender equality. It is a committee made up of staff and volunteers, which reports back to the board.
Christine Barretto, ESG Committee Chairperson, had this to say “This committee is a great addition to HSSCU as it focuses on some of society’s most pressing issues but also areas where a strong positive impact can be made. Under the remit of this committee falls several items that HSSCU are already strongly preforming in. Our social focus is evident and now we would strive to align our environmental targets to the same standard.”
“It’s an exciting committee to be chairperson of and I look forward to working as part of the team and setting out to reach our targets.”
Environmental: Climate Change, Energy Use, Waste & Resources.
This is going to be a multilevel approach undertaken by the committee which looks at HSSCU internally and externally, in supporting our members and much more. When there is a viable option, in accordance with the credit unions overall objectives it will be explored.
Exploring opportunities for improving HSSCUs impact at all levels of the organisation from office spaces, staff practices, services, and surplus generating activities. We will set out to assist our members and their extended communities in environmentally sustainable pursuits, when possible. The long-term aim would be for this to encapsulate the range of services provided by HSSCU. Through this committee there is an opportunity to look at options for offsetting environmental impacts which are unavoidable due to the nature of HSSCU’s business and directing capital to sustainable and ethical endeavours within our planetary limits. These commitments set out to be achievable from the short term to long term with the basis for care for our wider community.
Social: Reputation, Improving the community, How HSSCU treats & values people, Labour relations and Diversity & inclusion.
We set out to implement social impact reporting, that seeks to measure and quantify a credit union’s direct and indirect impacts on its stakeholders. Which includes members and the wider community. As a reporting practice, it measures the socio-economic impacts of an organisation’s initiatives or activities on community and society.
It is a tool which enables the credit union to effectively measure its impact now and retrospectively for years to come. Through the credit unions ethos which are aligned with co-operative operating principles primarily through financial empowerment. Such an impact report assists in providing further proof of the positive impact that HSSCU is having as a nationwide credit union. Highlighting our social ethos in action.
If you would like more information or to get involved, please contact us via email at info@hsscu.ie.
