BDCU Alliance Bank and The Collective won last year's 'Excellence in Social Enterprise' category of the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. This year they've done it again and also taken out the 'Excellence in Innovation' Award.

Goulburn Post. Wed 5 June 2019: Neha Attre. 

We had a chat with Matt Sewell, Marketing and Communications Manager, BDCU Alliance Bank about what makes the bank different from others and what it meant to win the awards.

Michael Storm and Matt Sewell

Q) What is your approach towards your business that sets you apart from others and helped you win the awards.

A) For us, everything we do is about generating an outcome for the community by giving back. Unlike other banks and finance companies, all of our profits are reinvested into the communities in which we operate. Everything we do in terms of the way we operate is about shared value outcomes.

Q) What is your formula for success?

A) The success formula is measurable in terms of improvements in our community. The measure of success for us is when people are able to stay in our regions and communities and live and work here and contribute to their growth. It is the change we create in the community.

Q) What did winning the awards mean to you?

A) It's who we are and reflects our purpose. It was very satisfying to win the awards and we were very honoured. It reinforced for us that we are taking the right approach to business and to continue to do what we are doing. Businesses can be a force for good: they can help improve communities.

Q) What is the thinking behind BDCU Alliance Bank and The Collective?

A) As a social enterprise bank we're using our Collecitve Co Workspace to support startups and encourage new businesses. Local businesses are the life and blood of the regions. They are the biggest employer and the biggest driver of economic growth. If we support more local businesses, then everyone wins because we can get a better outcome for the community.