CUNA, AACUC Launch Collaboration Agreement to Advance DEI
The pact introduces four new initiatives to raise diverse voices and perspectives.
CUNA and the African American Credit Union Coalition said Monday they have launched a collaboration agreement to advance diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The first of the four new initiatives that were announced includes an annual membership exchange that will provide each organization with membership access.
The second is a scholarship program that will give employees of each organization complimentary registration to attend premier association events and professional schools.
The third initiative is an annual meeting exchange that will send employees from each organization to the AACUC’s annual meeting and CUNA’s Governmental Affairs Conference.
The fourth initiative will establish an AACUC online community that will facilitate networking opportunities for African American credit union professionals.
“It is important to discover new learning opportunities for credit union professionals across the system,” AACUC President/CEO Renee Sattiewhite said in a prepared statement. “We are proud to collaborate with CUNA as we create a future where credit union professionals of diverse backgrounds can not only survive but thrive.”
CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle said this alliance is “an important avenue to bring diverse perspectives and voices to our organization.”
Last year, CUNA’s Board of Directors revealed its initial outline and implementation plan for both the organization and the credit union industry to follow in efforts to support a more equitable and inclusive financial system for Black people and communities.
The report, released last summer, was in response to CUNA’s announcement in early June when the Board of Directors passed a resolution to publicly acknowledge its stand against structural racism. That acknowledgment came after the death of George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officers in May, and the subsequent protests that occurred across the country.
“While the nation reckons with the blight of systemic racism, CUNA — in collaboration with the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL), the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC), and other system partners — continues to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),” the report stated.