The iNova credit uni–on in Halifax might be considered small. It has a staff of nine employees, assets under administration of $25 million and a single branch in a working-class neighbourhood. But under the leadership of general manager Willy Robinson, i-Nova is making giant strides in environmental sustainability.

“We’re small, but we’re making an impact and have gained a reputation for our efforts in protecting the environment,” says Robinson. “Some of the things we’ve done have generated a lot of interest among clients, and in the community.”

Robinson has had a personal interest in green issues for many years. She is a member of Sustainability Education in Nova Scotia for Everyone, a group dedicated to developing ideas to make the province sustainable. The credit union is also a founding member of the Atlantic Canada Sustainability Initiative, a diverse group of organizations that have come together to collaborate on sustainable practices and become role models in their communities.

Robinson has been integrating a sustainability mindset into i-Nova’s culture for several years. Although the practices were ad hoc and casual early on, they are becoming more structured and habitual over time.

Five years ago, iNova’s staff began working on ideas to reduce waste, and began saving paper by using such measures as photocopying on both sides of a sheet and using recycled paper. Instead of tossing out old computers, the staff found a non-profit organization that was interested in using them, so the computers were fixed up and donated. It became standard office practice to avoid using plastic bags and to recycle plastic bottles.

When the credit union became part of the Atlantic Canada Sustainability Initiative in 2007, Robinson and her staff participated in a training program to help them develop an action plan relating to a variety of areas, including preservation of the Earth’s crust, responsible use of man-made substances and meeting community needs.

The program has led to new ideas about better environmental practices. For example, staff brainstorming sessions led to discussions about how car loans were indirectly promoting oil extraction and violating the Earth’s crust.

“We couldn’t stop the car loans,” Robinson says. “But we asked ourselves how we could make things better. The solution was to offer a lower lending rate for fuel-efficient vehicles.”

Customers buying hybrids or fuel-efficient cars receive a loan rate of 4.75%, discounted compared with 5% for regular cars. To promote awareness of the policy, the credit union hung a sign in the lobby encouraging clients to “drive wise,” and handed out literature about fuel efficiency. Staff created a large promotional display, with bottles of car-wash liquid as a gift to customers. The liquid was biodegradable, the bottles were recyclable and the rags tied around the bottles were reusable. A sign also has been placed outside the branch to discourage idling of waiting cars’ engines.

Staff members, in examining their use of man-made substances, have come up with a variety of sustainability measures, including proper disposal of batteries and the use of environment-friendly office supplies and cleaning products. They also have developed a “green procurement plan,” with a checklist of questions to be used as a guide every time something is bought for the office, covering such areas as what goes into the products, the cost and the impact on the Earth.

This plan has led to a variety of changes, including the use of real china instead of disposable dishes at various events. In addition, only fair-trade coffees and teas are served at these events.

iNova also has eliminated carpet in some areas, to cut back on the use of carpet-cleaning services. And when the credit union moves into a new location in mid-2011, those premises will be heated with natural gas and use double-glazed windows.

Most of the paper used at iNova is recycled, and the credit union is investigating the idea of using vegetable-based inks. When higher-quality papers are needed for marketing materials or forms, the paper must have the seal of approval from the Forestry Stewardship Council, which means the paper is produced from trees that were logged in a sustainable fashion.

To reduce paper consumption further, Robinson says, iNova is moving toward providing electronic account statements to its customers. “We are crawling slowly along the road, learning as we go,” she says. “It’s an area in which you have to be humble, because we’re still learning new things and sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. But you can’t stand on the edge, frozen into inaction, because you don’t know everything.

@page_break@“Sustainable practices can sometimes be frustrating,” she continues, “or they take more time and cost more money — and that can create a roadblock. But everybody is aware of what our position is. And, for the most part, it is accepted and embraced.”

Annual meetings at iNova typically have an environmental theme. Last year, the meeting featured a guest speaker from the local farmers’ market. Attendees received a coupon toward the purchase of fresh herbs, and there were handouts of honey and cheese.

The previous year, the speaker was a representative of Conserve Nova Scotia, a government agency promoting energy efficiency, who talked about ways to save energy in the home. Attendees received cotton carrying bags, and some lucky people won low-flow shower heads as door prizes.

These efforts have earned i-Nova two awards: the Ethics Award from the Better Business Bureau of the Maritime Provinces; and the Coady Award of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, which is presented annually to the credit union or caisse populaire that best exemplifies leadership, contribution and commitment to social action and the well-being of the local community.

“Environmental awareness filters through all our activities,” says Robinson. “We think it through when it comes to everything from office materials to furniture and décor. We always try to honor local suppliers.” IE