Inclusion in Action
Our vision is to enable our community to thrive.
“I believe our community can truly thrive only when everyone in our community can thrive.” ~John Bissell
At Greylock, we are guided by our IDEA principles – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility – to support a workforce that reflects our community. The work includes training, product development, partnerships, education and community investments. Knowing that systemic change takes time, we have invested in a multi-year set of initiatives across our organization and across the communities we serve. We are 100% committed to this vision, which will enable our community to thrive.
Here is some of the work currently being done at Greylock:
Organizational Education and Training
We understand that any change, any improvements, need to start with us. Our IDEA principles support Greylock’s vision and goals of building a diverse workforce – reflecting multiple identities – and supporting the diverse communities we serve. We strive to ensure that the spaces in which we work and community members we engage are inclusive.
Highlights of our internal activities to date include:
- Improved recruitment and retention programs to more than double the percentage of minority employees over the past 5 years.
- Contracted with Multicultural BRIDGE to train all staff, management and Board on IDEA.
- Formed an internal Cultural Advisory Committee to advise internal processes, policies, and practices.
- Created a Community Development Advisory Committee that includes representatives from the community who are multi-cultural, gender and age diverse, as well as of varied physical abilities.
- Charged the Senior Team and key staff with studying the book “The Color of Money - Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap” by Mehrsa Baradaran.
- Implemented ongoing training for our Certified Credit Union Financial Counsellors on demonstrating care and compassion across the entire socio-economic spectrum, by focusing on diversity, inclusion, referring local services, communication style, empathy, products, credit, budgeting and partner programs.
Community Development & Lending Initiatives
Greylock has long been a supporter of organizations that help our community to grow and thrive. In 2019, we doubled-down on that commitment by adding a new Community Empowerment Center within our newly remodeled Kellogg Street branch in Pittsfield.
Here is a small sampling of our efforts in the area of community development and lending:
- Offer free financial coaching to members and non-members in English and Spanish
- Provide referrals to “wrap-around” services with partner organizations
- Maintain low personal loan rates
- Conduct First Time Home Buyer Seminars in English and Spanish
- Develop New Road Loan programs to help credit challenged borrowers get reliable transportation
- Establish Community Development Loan programs based on ability to pay, not a credit score
- Partner with BCAC and Construct to offer emergency micro-loans
- Partner with BCAC to offer Community Access to Rides program
- Create Lifeline and Safety Net Loans
- Issue generous fee waivers with overdrafts
- Enable members to access secured loans and Visa cards to establish/build credit
- Support free access to Banzai financial education in grades 3 thru 12 in every school in Columbia County, NY, Berkshire County, Westfield, Southwick, Granville, Montomgery and Russell, MA.
- Supply GreenPath Financial Wellness free coaching and debt management services free for all members
- Conduct educational seminars at local schools, colleges, churches and various community organizations
