October 17, 2008 - ACU was honoured with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce's Diversity in the Workplace Award. Manitoba Labour and Immigration suggested ACU because of its involvement in the Member Services Representative program for professional immigrants.

CEO Al Morin and Lisa Anderson, Manager Employee Relations and Diversity, receive the Chamber of Commerce Diversity in the Workplace Award. Presenting the award was Doug Tkach of Great West Life Assurance, sponsors of the Volunteer Awards and Ken Jones, past chair of The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
Photo: Wendy Stephenson

The program began in 2005 and, twice a year every year, Assiniboine Credit Union has offered a three month work internship for six to ten internationally-trained immigrants. The program involves 5 weeks of pre-training before the work placement. After the three month work internship, 80 to 90% of trainees have received an employment offer. Although everyone starts as a Member Service Representative, many have had the opportunity for advancement.

Assiniboine Credit Union has received numerous local and national awards, and has been recognized as an employer that has integrated its socially responsible mission into every facet of its operations, engaging employees, members and partners with its community commitments.

In October, 2007, Assiniboine Credit Union was honoured when the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce gave the financial co-operative the top business award in the province for being an outstanding community leader.

In the same month, Assiniboine Credit Union received the Maclean’s Magazine Top 100 Employer in Canada and Top 15 Employer in Manitoba awards, on the strength of the way it managed the merger of three credit unions and 24 branches in 2007. This October ACU again received the Maclean's Magazine award as a Top 20 Employer in Manitoba.

ACU is noted for having a “how can we make this work” attitude. They run workshops and offer on-line courses in diversity to “bring it down”, ensuring that all levels of the organization understand diversity and what it means to work in an inclusive workplace.