We are genuine in our desire to take meaningful and purposeful action to protect our planet and contribute to a sustainable future. We want to minimise our ecological footprint while maximising the positive impact we can have on the environment.
We look forward to sharing more updates about these initiatives and new programs as we work with our members for a sustainable future.
Shrinking our carbon footprint
We're a carbon neutral organisation and we are actively working to further reduce our carbon footprint. People's Choice received carbon neutral certification from the Federal Government's Climate Active partnership. We've reduced our carbon footprint by introducing additional hybrid cars into our fleet and increasing our use of green energy. We are also more accurately calculating our overall carbon usage particularly regarding professional services. Our total carbon output was fully offset through the purchase of carbon credits from approved Australian regeneration projects. We are intent on further reducing carbon emissions for a sustainable future.
While we continue our participation in the Climate Active program, we will reduce our reliance on carbon offsets by developing a long-term strategy and de-carbonisation plan. We also continue to monitor and undertake initiatives to reduce our consumption.
Our 6-star joint head offices
People First Bank has joint head office buildings located at 50 Flinders Street, Adelaide (People’s Choice) and 400 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba (Heritage Bank).
Together, they received 6-star energy ratings during 2023/24 – the best rating possible. The ratings were assessed by NABERS – the National Australian Built Environment Rating System – which is the industry standard for office buildings. Our increased use of green power was pivotal in achieving this rating. The new head office we are planning in Toowoomba, will also incorporate a suite of advanced energy saving features.
Driving a hybrid fleet
Our move towards a hybrid car fleet has accelerated significantly. We have added another 27 Toyota RAV4 Hybrids took to the road in People’s Choice branding, bringing the total to 54. By using hybrid cars, we will reduce our overall petrol usage and significantly reduce our carbon footprint.
Green car loans
Hundreds of members have taken advantage of our Green Car Loans and helped the environment at the same time. Hybrid and electric vehicles are rapidly growing in popularity, so this number will only increase. Green car loans offer members a discounted interest rate when they buy a qualifying vehicle.
We’ve achieved B Corp Certification
B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Certification is a highly rigorous process, and a minimum score of 80 points is required across five impact areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. The certification provides third party verification of our impact and is internationally recognised, with more than 7,000 organisations certified globally. We are using the B Corp framework to measure our diverse range of ESG activities and continuously improve ahead of our B Corp re-certification in 2025
Net Zero transition
In seeking a sustainable future, we’ve joined with other customer-owned enterprises to accelerate action to tackle climate change. The Declaration of Climate Action, developed by the Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals, sets out how organisations like ours will transition to the net zero carbon emissions over the coming years while maintaining business prosperity. Through this Declaration, we are bound to following the recommendations of the United Nations’ Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Further, the transition must be just - ensuring that climate action protects the planet, people and the economy.
