From its beginnings in 1957, Bank Australia has operated according to the international cooperative principles. At its core, Bank Australia has a strong focus servicing community members with their banking needs, as well as supporting community and public sector organisations.

The bank is led by a skilled and experienced Board of Directors, has an executive team accountable for key portfolios, and employs over four hundred staff located across the country. The banks’ workforce is entirely based in Australia and the bank is committed to regionally based roles.

The bank was Australia’s first member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, focusing on strengthening the banking system on a global level, so that it serves people and their communities, is more transparent, supports economic, social, environmental and cultural sustainability, and serves the real economy. The bank achieves this by focussing on effectively and efficiently using resources to grow profitably, through a values-based approach to banking that serves the needs of customers, communities and the planet. Bank Australia is also a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, which guides the bank’s approach to providing responsible banking and raising the bar in this space.

Successful organisations lead from the top, and at Bank Australia, executive and senior leaders play a pivotal role in consistently demonstrating the culture and values that are important to the bank. The executive and leadership teams regularly visit branches and offices across the country to check in, share information, and listen to staff first hand to understand what is happening internally, and for its customers. The bank is committed to work-life balance by supporting, where possible, staff working from home, ensuring people take regular holidays, and do not work back late unnecessarily.

From grassroots to corporate donations, Bank Australia’s teams are committed to creating positive social change. Over the last year the business participated in a number of fundraising activities including the ‘Polished Man’ campaign to raise funds for the prevention of violence against children.

The bank is proud to support staff by offering paid volunteer leave to support involvement with local community projects, as well as generous defence and community services leave that was well received during natural disasters such as the bushfires over the 2019/20 summer period.

Bank Australia recognises that a critical reason behind the bank’s growth is its engaged and committed workforce. Appointing the right person for the right role is at the core of its recruitment and retention strategy. Setting its people up for success to achieve a high performing workforce is key to Bank Australia differentiating itself from other financial institutions. The bank offers competitive employment conditions and opportunities for employees to achieve career goals and to further develop their skills.

Improving technology and advancing processes is a fundamental and ongoing activity in establishing and maintaining an engaged workforce. Formal performance reviews are conducted annually, with informal check in processes conducted throughout the year. This provides staff and managers with the opportunity to set goals, assess progress and identify development and career opportunities.