As one of the original members of Clark County Green Business, Columbia Credit Union has been a pioneer in sustainability for years. It has been honored with multiple awards, including Best in Business from the Vancouver Business Journal and The Columbian's Best of Clark County. Passionate about environmental stewardship long before becoming a certified Green Business, Columbia CU has always encouraged its employees to see through a green lens—a benevolent attitude that works to make life better in our community and our environment.
Columbia Credit Union has multiple LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold and Silver certified buildings across the Vancouver area, as well as many other notable accomplishments. For example, rainwater cisterns irrigate the native plants living in the gardens of its branch locations while porous concrete allows water to percolate back into the earth. In addition, the credit union participates in the Clark Public Utilities Green Light Program and has been recycling for decades. Many purchasing decisions are based on recycled content—from chairs made of recycled seatbelts, low VOC paint products, LED lighting, and green cleaning supplies. Columbia CU also rewards customers with energy efficient vehicles and sustainable homes with reduced auto and home loan rates.
Having received the Corporate Philanthropy Award from the Portland Business Journal, not even COVID-19 could stop Columbia Credit Union's generosity. During the hardships of 2020, Columbia Credit Union was able to donate $100,000 to The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington's COVID Relief Fund to support local nonprofits through their COVID challenges. Everything that Columbia Credit Union does—whether it be sponsoring Columbia Springs' salmon habitat education, participating in litter cleanups with Spruce the Couve, or contributing to any number of events and causes throughout the community—it works to reflect and confirm the credit union's longstanding mission, making life better.