Sustainability
Our Commitment to the Future.
The mission of Union Bank’s Sustainability Committee is to lead Union Bank and its employees toward more sustainable daily behaviors and routines. By using ‘green’ products, reducing waste and energy use, and keeping the lines of communication open about ways to further our sustainability initiatives, the committee will help reduce Union Bank’s overall impact on the environment. Over the past few years, we’ve installed water bottle refilling stations at our branches, as well as solar panels at five of our locations, EV charging stations at four branches and had nine locations certified for “Energy Star” rating by the EPA. We realize these are modest efforts, but we will continue to look for new ways toward sustainability wherever possible.
Conservation & Lessening Our Impact
At Union Bank, we try to do our part to reduce, reuse and recycle to make change and contribute to a healthier planet. We’ll continue to look into our processes, and the products and materials we use and consume.
Supporting Community Efforts
Our communities are our foundation and our actions need to work to make a better environment for our neighbors. We’ll work and collaborate with those around us to support sustainable efforts and inspire others to do the same. In fact, in 2022 we worked with over 200 area non-profits and contributed over $185,000 in direct financial support to these organizations.
Looking to the Future
We know sustainability takes time and effort, but it starts with all of us. As we work towards reaching our sustainability goals, we’ll continue to develop ways to ensure a livable future for our communities and future generations.
Solar Panels Installations
We now have five locations that are producing solar electricity—Jeffersonville, Jericho, Williston, Fairfax and St. Albans.
5 branches
with solar panels
as of 2023
Our 5 Locations Have a total Capability of 111.4 kilowatts
Fairfax-11.4 KW
Jericho-10 KW
Williston-14.4 KW
St. Albans-52 KW
Jeffersonville-23 KW
Fairfax, Hardwick, Johnson, Jeffersonville, St. Albans, Jericho, Stowe. Littleton (Dell’s Road) and Lincoln Earn Energy Star Rating
NINE Union Bank branches have earned ENERGY STAR® certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency! The next time you visit, check out the little blue label on display at our entrances – it represents proven, verified superior energy performance over a 12-month period. In fact, ENERGY STAR certified buildings perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide!
Saving Energy
By meeting these strict standards, Union Bank is saving energy, saving money, and helping protect the environment by generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions than typical buildings.
New Energy-Efficient & Environmentally-Friendly Facilities
- Installation of LED lights and occupancy sensors
- Installation of energy efficient heat pump water heaters
- Switch to environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies and paper products
- Expanded recycling and composting efforts
- Enrollment in Energy Start Program for all properties
EV Car Charging Stations & Remote Work
4 Level 2 dual port car charging stations
Last year (2022) Union Bank installed 4 dual port EV charging stations. You can find them at our Morrisville Main office and Jeffersonville, Jericho and Williston locations.
Remote Work Policy
To help reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on Vermont roads, Union Bank has expanded resources for employees to have the ability to work from home. The reduction of daily commutes helps decrease carbon pollution and lessen our impact on the local environment. In fact, we were the feature sponsor of the 2022 “Park Your Carbon” week, working in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation to encourage Vermonters to walk, bike, ride share or work from home to help reduce carbon emissions and drive awareness to alternate forms of transportation.
Union Bank Environmental Policy
Union Bank is committed to protecting the environment, the health and safety of our employees, and the community in which we conduct our business.
It is our policy to seek improvements throughout our business operations to lessen our impact on the local and global environment by conserving energy, water, and other natural resources; reducing waste generation; recycling and purchasing environmentally preferable products; and reducing our use of toxic materials or production of toxic products and/or byproducts. We are committed to environmental excellence and pollution prevention through continual improvement and meeting or exceeding all environmental regulatory requirements.