The Epping Community Bank model operates on the principle of “Shared Value”. 

Shared Value is not just ‘shared values’, however noble those values might be. Nor is it just a sense of ‘social conscience’ or ‘social responsibility’. Nor is it just ‘corporate philanthropy’. It is all of these, and much more. 

It embodies the link between business success and corporate social responsibility – the success of a company and the social health of the community around it are mutually dependent. 

Our community bank is a franchisee of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. It uses the bank’s infrastructure and expertise to provide local community members with quality financial and banking services through a successful community business venture. The crucial point of difference from other banks is that, under the terms of the franchise agreement, our community bank reinvests up to 80% of its net profits back into the community to support local initiatives and stimulate community well-being. 

We are a genuine community bank. Shareholders expect a financial return, but they are also committing to a community investment for the benefit of their community as a whole. The community is at the centre of the business, not at the margins.

Our high quality banking services are the means to the end – to generate profits, and thus provide funds to support our community. Since our foundation in 2003, our company has returned nearly $2.5 million to our community in a wide variety of projects. We must stress that these funds come from our Epping branch, our local company, not from ‘the Bendigo Bank’. The members of our community who bank with us receive high quality banking services – and are the source of our profits. The more people who bank with our branch, the higher our profits. The higher our profits, the more funds we can pass back into local community projects.

It is a Win-Win situation.