We know BECU's top-tier member service relies on all of us. Our unique, purpose-driven and values-based culture supports employee professional growth and personal well-being. As a result, we bring our best selves to our work, serving you better while improving the communities in which we work, live and play.
Cultivated Our Culture
We welcomed over 550 enthusiastic new employees in 2024. In total, our employee base grew to more than 3,200 strong, and at your service.
BECU employees enjoy a wide variety of benefits to promote physical, personal and financial wellness. This includes unique perks like a pension program, and up to $600 per year to put towards wellness such as fitness equipment, massages, financial planning and more.
Me + You: Being BECU
Since its inception in 2016, the Being BECU awards have recognized 132 outstanding individuals who go above and beyond to demonstrate BECU’s Purpose and core values:
In 2024, employees nominated more than 300 peers, with 19 selected to receive Being BECU awards. Honorees included member consultants, Neighborhood Financial Center managers, product managers and more.
Our Day of Purpose
While BECU closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day, over 2,800 employees participated in our annual Day of Purpose, which took place in person and online.
On this day, we connect around being a financial cooperative and the importance of community impact. Executive Management Team members shared why they work for BECU, and how our purpose resonates with their passions.
“You are all a piece of my Purpose Puzzle. So great to catch up and serve our communities together.”
Christina R., BECU Employee
Our community panel included some speakers from dedicated organizations we supported on this special day. Speakers included Lauren Pease, senior grant manager at Housing Hope, and Rick Clark, Giving Back Spokane founder and executive director.
“BECU has been a supporter of ours since day one almost. They saw us when most didn’t. I don’t even call them BECU anymore. I call them Because We CU.”
Rick C., BECU Member, Giving Back Spokane
We also heard from Edna Wyena, executive director of Unkitawa, which uses traditional art, culture, and ceremony to assist and support Indigenous communities in South King County, Washington state and beyond.
BECU employees also worked together on service projects for members of our communities. In total, we assembled about 2,500 care kits including warm blankets, hygiene and employment prep kits, and bags of essentials for these Washington nonprofits:
“My why is this... This energy that comes from people coming together to activate meaningful change.”
Jill V., BECU Employee
Evolved Employee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Research consistently demonstrates that diverse representation can drive positive outcomes across an organization, from financial performance to broader success. At BECU, we've seen firsthand how our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has enhanced our financial performance, strengthened talent recruitment and retention, fostered innovation and collaboration, and bolstered our reputation and sense of corporate responsibility.
Reflecting Our Communities
Our goal is for every person who walks through our doors to feel like BECU is for them. To do this, we need an employee base that includes a broad range of perspectives, experiences and talents.
“I’m so proud to be a part of a community that takes care of each other.”
Micheal F., BECU Member
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment to ensure that everyone can continue to succeed and achieve. Our inclusion work is about widening the lens so that more talented people are seen for what they bring to the table. As we measure our progress in creating an inclusive environment, we track employee demographics at all levels of the organization.
Racial Representation
Gender Representation
We expect BECU to represent the communities we serve at all levels of the organization from our front lines to the Executive Management Team and Board of Directors.
In 2022, our data review revealed a gap in diversity and representation in director-level roles at BECU. Through a partnership between our Human Resources team and the BECU Office of Equity and Inclusion, we envisioned and launched a new Multicultural Emerging Leaders (MEL) program to address barriers to advancement and nurture diverse talent across the organization.
This program was designed to grow our next generation of leaders from within, offering mentoring and training. Two cohorts completed the program as of April 2024 covering a variety of topics, including:
- Foundations of race and culture
- Principles of professional growth
- Leadership styles
- Applying emotional intelligence
The program culminates with a capstone project that presents an organizational opportunity to the Executive Management Team. Because of BECU's ongoing investment in equity and inclusion, we’re proud to highlight the increase in diverse representation at the leadership level, including a notable rise in directors and vice presidents from underrepresented groups since the introduction of the MEL program.
The work continues as BECU tests, learns and innovates. Our third MEL cohort kicked off in October 2024. In addition to its multicultural approach and learning curriculum, we evolved the development of leadership capabilities – individually and collectively. The program's third iteration asked vice presidents and senior vice presidents to nominate candidates on a career path toward a director role. Program participants then focus on developing skills for their next role and deliver a presentation highlighting their workshop learnings and leadership capabilities to their directors, vice presidents, and senior vice presidents.
Engaged Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Our ERGs support our broader inclusion goals by bringing together groups of employees who have common interests and face common issues. ERGs are a way for employees to support each other, build community, share concerns and identify solutions to further BECU’s purpose. All employees are welcome to join any of the offered ERGs.
Through our ten ERGs, employees volunteered, sponsored, tabled and participated in nearly 200 employee and community events throughout 2024. You may have seen us at various Pride Festivals across the state, Junior Achievement events, and the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade at the Spokane Lilac Festival in 2024.
Around 40% of employees are ERG members, and many also contributed their voices to BECU's blog.
TAKE ACTION: Read more about our employees' experiences and their sage financial observations that apply broadly. Blog topics include: Protecting Elders From Fraud, Military Veterans Reflect on Money Matters, LGBTQ+ Couples Plan for Kids and the Future, and Latinx Retirement: Saving Despite Barriers
Welcomed All to the Equity Summit
We hosted our fourth annual Equity Summit with influential keynote speakers, workshops and nearly 1,000 BECU employees in attendance, in-person and online. Employees also heard from key nonprofit partners.
“Equity Summit = Positivity + Energy + Inclusion + Empowerment + Great Leadership.”
Vandana S., BECU Employee
The 2024 Equity Summit's theme was “Empowerment Through Action.” While previous summits focused on education and awareness, this year’s summit focused on putting diversity, equity and inclusion commitments in play. Six hybrid sessions covered a wide range of topics:
- Serving multicultural communities
- Sustainable solutions to the affordable housing crisis
- Equitable action for sustainability
- Operationalizing racial equity
- Internal career mobility
- Employee resources for their continued diversity, equity and inclusion learning journey
BECU Cares
You're a credit union member because you care, just like our employees. Our BECU Cares program amplifies the impact our employees make in the community by putting funds behind the time and money they contribute to nonprofits nationwide. In 2024, our generous BECU employees donated and volunteered an impressive amount to support our communities.
BECU Cares by the Numbers
Employee Volunteers
BECU encourages employees to volunteer for the causes they care about. Each year, employees receive up to 24 hours of annual paid time off to volunteer. Employees can also earn $15 for each hour of additional volunteer service to donate to a nonprofit of their choice.
Employees serving on nonprofit boards receive reward funds to donate in recognition of their service, and teams of five or more employees volunteering together also receive funds to direct to the nonprofit they served.
In 2024, these efforts led to over $485,000 directed to nonprofits on behalf of BECU employee volunteer activities.
Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition partners with BECU’s Environmental Sustainability and Native Indigenous Peoples ERG on an annual river cleanup near BECU’s headquarters. The Seattle-based organization addresses health equity, climate justice, advocacy and stewardship, and youth leadership.
TAKE ACTION: Enjoy shaved ice and listen to live music at the summer Duwamish River Festival or catch a boat tour hosted by the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. Head to the organization's site to learn more.
A former BECU People Helping People Award winner and long-standing philanthropic partner, Giving Back Spokane provides food, housing and transportation assistance for Spokane-area individuals and families struggling with poverty. Employees were inspired after our Day of Purpose to direct their awards to this organization.
World Central Kitchen is on the frontline of disasters around the world, providing emergency meals to those displaced by conflict and natural events. Employees supported World Central Kitchen in the organization's hurricane recovery and response efforts throughout the year.
Employee Sustainability Efforts
BECU employees drive positive organization-wide environmental, social and economic impacts. Through strategic planning, collaboration and innovation, we're supporting sustainability efforts at BECU and in our communities for the betterment of our shared planet. Here's how.
Employee Eco-Resources
Employees can access sustainability resources, including links to free online courses, book recommendations and free LinkedIn Learning Courses available through BECU benefits.
The BECU Sustainability Office worked with BECU’s Environmental Sustainability Resource Group (a BECU ERG) on several small projects to boost organization-wide sustainability by:
- Creating guides for working sustainably
- Hosting events sustainably
- Building capacity for green loan products
Fill 'Er Up (with Electricity)
In 2018, BECU worked with ChargePoint to install two Electric Vehicle charging stations with four charging points at our Tukwila Financial Center. In 2024, we added two new EV charging stations. We're loving the difference the charging stations have made since 2018:
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 83,000 pounds, equal to planting 963 trees for 10 years
- A 75% increase in usage in 2024 over 2023
- Supported over 42,200 miles of eco-friendly travel
The success of this program has led the credit union to explore additional sustainability initiatives.
TAKE ACTION: Charge up your car next time you're at the Tukwila branch. Just be mindful of the time limits due the chargers' popularity.
“It’s so amazing to be a part of BECU’s Environmental Sustainability ERG, finding ways to help our earth while helping our community.”
Taytum P., BECU Employee
Typically, financial transactions require a lot of paper. To reduce our reliance on paper, BECU employees integrate electronic signatures where possible.
In 2024, we saved 2.5 million sheets of paper, which equates to:
- 271 trees
- 265,840 gallons of water
- 211,919 pounds of CO2
- 14,672 pounds of solid waste
Not only is this good for the planet, but going paperless also saved over 10,000 hours of staff and member time so we can spend more time serving you.
TAKE ACTION: Want to do your part? Opt into environmentally friendly eStatements, or paper-free account statements delivered directly to Online Banking or Business Online Banking. eStatements are available for consumer and business savings, checking, CDs, credit card and loans. You can also use online options for forms when available, rather than printing.
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