Passionate about our environment? If you have a home that features environmentally friendly elements, or has a 7 Star or higher NatHERS rating, you may be eligible for an interest rate discount.
Gateway is committed to helping our Members live a more environmentally friendly life, in a way that also helps them to cut down on waste and reduce the cost of living. We call this purpose ‘Pocket & Planet’. Our aim is to not just provide information and guidance to our Members and community, but also drive our commitment through a range of initiatives and financial products that underpin this purpose.
In our aim to help our Members save money and the planet by using resources as least wastefully as possible, we have implemented measures across the business to ensure that we also abide by these principles. Through the initiatives below, we are striving to better our environment and the lives of our Members through environmentally conscious lending policies, carbon neutral certification, and community involvement.
In early 2021, Gateway was proud to be certified as Carbon Neutral by Climate Active. Climate Active is a partnership between the Australian government and the business community that drives voluntary climate action. Gateway Bank was certified in line with the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for organisations, that recognises our strategy to reduce emissions across a number of major sources, predominantly energy consumption, transport and logistics, and offsetting any remaining emissions. We remain committed to maintaining this certification and continuing to look at ways to reduce our impact on the environment.
As a customer owned bank, we pride ourselves on doing the right thing for our Members and operating in a responsible and ethical manner. To support this, we have published our Ethical Banking Policy which states which industries and activities we will not directly lend to as well as our Ethical Investing Policy which states those activities we will not support through our investments.
Ethical Banking Policy
Gateway will not directly lend to businesses with their primary operations in industries and/or activities:
with significant demonstratable detrimental impacts on the environment, including but not limited to:
That cause serious health or social issues including:
In the production and sale of armaments and/or ammunition, including nuclear and controversial weapons designed to inflict harm. The mining and/or refining of uranium for military purposes.
That export live animals for slaughter. The practice exposes animals to stressful transport conditions and slaughter and handling practices that are considered cruel.
Ethical Investing Policy
Gateway will not directly invest in companies that cause harm to the planet.
Gateway will not directly invest in industries and/or activities:
with significant demonstratable detrimental impacts on the environment, including but not limited to:
That cause serious health or social issues including:
In the production and sale of armaments and/or ammunition, including nuclear and controversial weapons designed to inflict harm. The mining and/or refining of uranium for military purposes.
That export live animals for slaughter. The practice exposes animals to stressful transport conditions and slaughter and handling practices that are considered cruel.
We work with community organization Reverse Garbage who share our values on the reduction of waste and our impact on the environment. Reverse Garbage’s mission is to save materials from going to waste in landfill and to renew their value by making them available for reuse and repurpose by families, students, artists and community groups.
Each year they save and reuse over 35,000 cubic metres of materials and items that would otherwise fill over 100 football fields of landfill.
They make these items and treasures available to the public at low cost through their warehouse and online store, run community workshops and manage a Schools program for children across a range of ages, abilities and needs.
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Gateway’s Green Home Loans receive Responsible Investment Certification
Looking for new ways to make your home eco-friendlier and more cost-efficient? Something as simple as external awnings could be the answer. Learn more.
Looking for new ways to make your home eco-friendlier and more cost-efficient? Something as simple as double glazed windows could be the answer. Learn more.
Working towards a zero-waste lifestyle protects the environment, benefits the community and helps our back-pocket. It won’t be long until you see the benefits.
Our Ethical Banking and Ethical Investment Policies determine how we use our Members’ money in an ethical and responsible manner in line with our purpose.
The current climate –both environmental and financial – is driving a growing awareness of Green Home Loans, with new building regulations set to make more homes qualify for the product later this year.
