Bendigo Bank wins Sustainable Company of the Year award ... again

Bendigo Bank has been announced the winner of the CEPA Trust Ethical Investor Sustainable Company of the Year Award 2002. Bendigo Bank also won last year’s inaugural award.

Twelve Top 200 ASX-listed companies were nominated for the award, which was chosen by a distinguished panel of six comprising ACTU president Sharan Burrow, Indigenous Leadership Centre founder Dr Mick Dodson, Corporate Governance International chief Sandy Easterbrook, Myer Foundation CEO Charles Lane, former Tasmanian Greens MP Christine Milne and UWS Professor Chris Sidoti.

The judges said the award recognised significant new initiatives taken by Bendigo Bank in the past 12 months including:
• the launch of a series of ‘Green Loans’ including the new Green Home Loan launched yesterday by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie. more....
• the July launch of a 50 per cent owned joint venture with 19 non-profit organisations, called Community Sector Banking, to provide a custom banking service to Australia’s not-for-profit sector. more....

Bendigo Bank managing director Rob Hunt said the bank was proud to have won consecutive awards.

"While we were pleased the long-term nature of our strategy was recognised last year, we knew we were only in the early stages of its implementation. Today’s announcement is acknowledges that we are continuing to make progress.

"Our aim is to secure our future success by improving the prospects of our customers and their communities.

"There is now clear evidence that some of our early initiatives, such as Community Bank, are making a real contribution both to our customers and to the bank’s performance. We expect more recent initiatives – such as Community Sector Banking and our range of Green Loans – to do the same and we will continue to unveil further programs in support of better communities.

"Helping to build sustainable communities and business is essential for our business to reach its potential. The improvement in Bendigo Bank’s profit performance in recent years demonstrates the strength of that strategy and shows that doing the right thing is also great business."