Coast Capital makes real purpose its business

For Alisha Parker, personal purpose has led to amazing career growth in the most unexpected way. Since joining Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union in 2008 as a filing clerk, she’d risen up the ranks to supervisor in the retail lending department. Then in 2022, after sharing a post on social media to mark Black History Month, she was invited to write an article about her lived experience as a biracial Black woman for the organization’s intranet site as part of a content series to elevate the company’s commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace.

Although nervous, she realized that her testimony could have a positive impact, paving the way for other employees from underrepresented groups to share their experiences.

“Being invited to share my story, that really stuck out for me. It is a testament to Coast Capital and their work in creating that inclusive culture,” Parker says.

Soon after, she joined the credit union’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) council and, later, became the co-chair of the Racial Equity and Multiculturalism employee resource group (ERG), one of six ERGs advancing the status of traditionally marginalized employee groups at Coast Capital.

When the EDI and communication coordinator role opened up last fall, Parker applied and got the job. “I’m fully able to lean into my passion for this work. This new role gives me a real sense of purpose.”

“It’s important for any organization to be taking a look at practices that allow individuals who are underrepresented to unlock doors, and that’s really what we’re trying to drive,” says Jackson White, vice-president of human resources.

Fostering a culture of real connection that enables all employees to bring their full selves to work is just one of five pillars that make up Coast Capital’s employee promise, White notes. Other pillars include things common to progressive workplaces, such as real flexibility to achieve work-life balance, real well-being in the form of a comprehensive benefit package, and real growth, as in opportunities for career advancement. But the employee promise also includes something rare among employers: real purpose.

In 2020, Coast Capital adopted a social purpose business model focused on delivering real impact for its members, employees and communities, integrating its purpose into its core business and creating measurable benefits for society. A Certified B Corporation, Coast Capital annually reinvests 10 per cent of its budgeted bottom line back into the communities it serves – more than $100 million since 2000. It is also a member of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, committed to carbon neutrality by 2050. Under its employee volunteer program, workers can use paid time to volunteer for causes of their choice.

At the same time, the credit union takes care to create opportunities for advancement for every employee, White says. “Career growth is about both excelling in your current role and understanding the skills and experience necessary to advance within the organization. By providing clear pathways for career development, we ensure our employees are equipped with the knowledge and support to progress and thrive.”

Through her 16 years with the organization, Parker has made good use of employee perks such as a discount on mortgage rates, a preferred conversion rate on foreign exchange, a free one-hour consultation with a financial planner, paid personal leave time and a gradual maternity leave and return policy.

“Coast doesn’t have to do all these things, but they choose to, and that makes me really proud to work here,” Parker says. “Coast has been transformative for me. I can show up authentically, where my passions are welcomed and supported.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's BC’s Top Employers winners, published February 11, 2025 in the Vancouver Sun. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.