Pocket & Planet Initiatives

Climate Active Certification

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.

Ethical Banking & Investing Policy

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 the following industries or activities:

• Coal and other fossil fuel extraction, production and distribution
• Activities involving modern slavery and/or sweatshop production
• Live animal exports for slaughter
• Activities causing deforestation
• Pornography
• Tobacco production

Ethical Investing Policy

Gateway will only place investments with:

• The Commonwealth Government or the government of an Australian State or Territory;
• A financial institution guaranteed by the Commonwealth Government or the government of an Australian State or Territory; or
• Authorised Deposit Taking Institutions (i.e. banks) trading in Australia.

Gateway will not directly invest in the following industries or activities:

• Coal/fossil fuels
• Environmentally detrimental projects
• Alcohol
• Correctional facilities
• Cryptocurrency
• Deforestation
• Military activities
• Political activities
• Pornography
• Slavery
• Uranium
• Tobacco
• Live animal exports for slaughter
• Gambling, and
• Arms industry.

Partnership with Community Organisation Reverse Garbage

We have partnered 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.

Find more information about our eco initiatives