People First Bank Limited (formerly Heritage and People’s Choice Limited) is Australia’s largest customer-owned banking organisation. It was created in March 2023 through the merger of Heritage Bank and People’s Choice Credit Union, following a diligent and comprehensive program of work to bring the organisations together. Heritage Bank’s origins trace back to the formation of the Toowoomba Permanent Building Society in 1875, while People’s Choice beganas the South Australian PublicService and Loans Society in Adelaide in 1949.

People First Bank is member-owned and committed to making banking a force for good. It is a certified B Corporation and is committed to continuously improving its impact on people, their communities and the planet. This is in strong alignment with its purpose and vision to deliver positive change through banking. People First Bank delivers on this commitment through the active support of its 2,100 employees, who deliver products and services through retail branches, contact centres, broker networks and digital banking platforms – all connected to dual head offices in Adelaide and Toowoomba.

People First Bank’s six values of Passion, Integrity, Trust, Care, Authenticity, and Respect underpin its “people first” ethos and commitment to driving positive risk behaviours. The values guide the expected behaviours of People First Bank employees in their work to align with the bank’s strategic pillars of “doing good,” “simplicity,” and “enablement.”

People First Bank is committed to supporting its people in performing at their best and building the capability to deliver for its members. It elevates opportunities by driving career development, ongoing training, coaching, and on-the-job support to further employees’ career potential. This includes an array of employee development programs, leadership development programs, secondments, and industry partnership and accreditation programs.

People First Bank places significant focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of its people. It continues to build upon solid foundations from both the Heritage Bank and People’s Choice entities to develop and maintain a healthy, safe, secure and supportive environment for its workforce. Health and Safety awareness initiatives also occur year-round. However, more generally, health, safety and wellbeing are driven by their dedicated Workplace Health and Safety team, supported by an active Health and Wellbeing Committee, along with access to a Mental Health Ambassador program and an independent Employee Assistance Program. There is a strong emphasis on psychological safety, and a psychological safety risk assessment is prioritised to ensure all risks are identified and controls are implemented where reasonably practicable. An Employee Assistance Program is also available for employees and leaders, and paid leave entitlements create flexibility and support for its workforce. People First Bank has continued to advance its hybrid ways of working and continues to support its work-from-anywhere philosophy, underpinned by work-from-home assessments to ensure the safety of its people when away from their office workspaces.

As a customer-owned organisation, People First Bank is committed to acting in the best interests of its members and prioritising their needs ahead of the pursuit of profit. The bank also has a strong community and environmental focus, supporting a wide range of charitable, community and philanthropic causes. This is actioned in partnership with its people, who are given opportunities to contribute through the employee volunteering program (called the Good Squad), the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation, and numerous community partnerships and initiatives.

For information about People First Bank, visit peoplefirstbank.com.au