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Banking on a sustainable future for our regions

Announcement posted by Regional Australia Bank 20 Apr 2017

Through its partnership with Landcare NSW, Regional Australia Bank is continuing to lead the way in Corporate Social Responsibility, donating $1 for every member that switches to online statements.
 
Over the last four years, Regional Australia Bank has donated over $18,000 to Landcare NSW, a contribution State Landcare Coordinator Sonia Williams says is vital to local Landcare groups.
 
“Without Regional Australia Bank’s support, many local Landcare groups would not be able to undertake their environmental conservation, education and sustainable agricultural projects,” Ms Williams said.   
 
“Regional Australia Bank’s contribution not only helps us to assist groups showcase their projects and build connections with their community, it also helps us fund important training to show them how they can widen their net of potential funding to help deliver their projects.”
 
This financial year alone, six local Landcare groups, across Regional Australia Banks service regions, were the recipients of this much-needed support - support that has ensured the success of their projects.  They include Southern New England Landcare – Frog Dreaming project; Congewai Valley Landcare – Regent Honey Eater project; Wollombi Valley Landcare Field Day – Meeting of the Waters project; Landcare NSW - Crowd-Funding Training workshops; Manning Landcare - Farm Gate Tour and the Murrurundi Landcare Tidy Towns Committee – Page’s River Warrior project. 
 
Regional Australia Bank CEO Kevin Dupé said: “Regional Australia Bank is proud to have contributed to these worthwhile projects through our partnership with Landcare NSW.”
 
“As a bank we are committed to setting ourselves significant sustainability goals that will help ensure the future of our communities.  We also endeavor to inspire and empower our members to make ethical decisions of their own and it is heartening to see so many already doing so by making the switch to online statements.”
 
Through partnerships like this, Regional Australia Bank is acutely aware of the role it can play by encouraging sustainability and it seems, others are now taking notice of this ingenuity too. 
 
“Recently, a member of our Executive Management Team, Darren Schaefer was awarded a scholarship to take part in the Prince of Wales Leadership in Sustainability Programme through the University of Cambridge,” said Mr Dupé.
 
“This programme recognises influential senior leaders operating at a strategic level within sustainability and arms them with knowledge and techniques to address key sustainability challenges in a practical way.”
 
The Bank also recently held its second Sector Sustainability Summit in Sydney with other like-minded institutions - discussing the establishment of sector benchmarks for sustainability reporting, reviewing best practice and exploring collaboration opportunities around the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
 
Mr Dupé says this is all part of the bank’s ongoing focus to minimising its own impact on the environment and maximising social and environmental returns to its regional communities, in the same way its partnership with Landcare NSW has done.   
 
 
- Ends -
 
 
Contact: Sara Crowe, C7EVEN Communications, 02 6766 4513 / 0438 197 559
 
It is requested that Regional Australia Bank is not shortened to an acronym and always referred to in full as Regional Australia Bank. 

Image caption: Lucinda Chapman (Landcare NSW) and Kevin Dupe (CEO, Regional Australia Bank) at the Armidale Creeklands
 
Suite 4 Technology Park, Madgwick Dr, Armidale NSW 2350 Australia
Phone: 02 6776 0000