PITTSFIELD, MASS, October XX, 2016 – Berkshire Bank, America’s Most Exciting Bank® is excited to announce that they have been honored by the American Bankers Association for their corporate volunteer efforts through their Community Commitment Awards program.
The annual program honors banks for their work in the community in categories ranging from affordable housing to volunteerism. The selection committee, made up of national experts in each category, chose recipients based on the creativity and thoughtfulness of the bank program. Each program had to embody the ideals of corporate social responsibility and demonstrate success in measurable terms.
Berkshire Bank received recognition for their Xtraordinary Day, which took place on June 7, 2016. The Bank closed all retail locations and operations centers to allow all employees the opportunity to volunteer in the communities they serve. Employees completed 56 group service projects, selected and planned by local employees. 95% of Berkshire’s employees participated in this Day of Service, directly impacting more than 100,000 individuals. While Berkshire Bank has held volunteer days in the past, this was the first time they closed down all operations to ensure every employee that wanted to participate had the opportunity to do so. Xtraordinary Day, the first of its kind across the country, highlighted the Bank’s support of its local communities while empowering employees to champion the causes that were most important to them. By closing its doors, Berkshire Bank intended to show the true power of giving back on a grand scale.
“Berkshire Bank is challenged every day to prove why we are America’s Most Exciting Bank. Through our Xtraordinary Day, as well as our dedication to volunteer projects throughout the year, we do our best to go out into our communities and live out the promise of the America’s Most Exciting Bank® brand,” said Tami M. Gunsch, Executive Vice President of Berkshire Bank. “This recognition highlights our continued XTEAM commitment, and drives our dedication to the culture that we live by every day.”
The American Bankers Association made the recognition possible through their ABA Foundation. The ABA is the voice of the nation’s $16 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ more than 2 million people, safeguard $12 trillion in deposits and extend more than $8 trillion in loans.
Xtraordinary Day was just a piece of Berkshire Bank’s broader commitment to the community. Annually, Berkshire Bank and its charitable foundations provide more than $2 million to important community organizations, including scholarships to high school seniors with a record of financial need and academic excellence and the environment through their AMEB Green Sustainability initiative. In addition to financial support, the XTEAM®, the Bank’s nationally acclaimed Employee Volunteer Program, provides employees with paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours. Nearly 100% of Berkshire Bank’s employees have participated in the program in 2016, putting Berkshire on pace to achieve the highest volunteer participation rate of any company in the US. The company also has plans to hold Xtraordinary Day again in 2017.
About Berkshire Bank Foundation
Through foundation grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, environmental programs, and employee volunteerism, Berkshire Bank is making a difference. Each year the Foundation donates over $1.8 million to nonprofits in the Bank’s footprint and employees provide over 40,000 hours of volunteer service. Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts Most Charitable Companies in 2016 by the Boston Business Journal. To learn more about Berkshire Bank Foundation, visit www.berkshirebank.com/community
About Berkshire Bank
Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank, America’s Most Exciting Bank®. The Company, recognized for its entrepreneurial approach and distinctive culture, has $8 billion in assets and 93 full service branch offices in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont providing personal and business banking, insurance, and wealth management services. The company has a pending agreement to acquire First Choice Bank, a $1.1 billion bank with eight branches in Princeton, New Jersey area and a national mortgage originations subsidiary. . To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com, call 800-773-5601 or follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Berkshire Bank is the official bank of NESN’s Boston Bruins coverage.
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Media Contact:
Heidi Higgins
AVP Marketing
hhiggins@berkshirebank.com
(413) 236-3756