Credit Unions: The Authentic Difference

The World Council of Credit Unions has announced the theme for the 2016 International Credit Union (ICU) Day. The ICU Day is celebrated annually on the third Thursday of...

The World Council of Credit Unions has announced the theme for the 2016 International Credit Union (ICU) Day. The ICU Day is celebrated annually on the third Thursday of October and this year will explore “The Authentic Difference”, celebrating what makes credit unions truly unique.

ICU Day poster 2016
ICU Day poster 2016

“Credit unions differ — in both philosophy and structure — from other financial institutions,” said Brian Branch, World Council president and CEO. “In addition to community commitment and positive economic and social change, we put people before profit to provide all members with affordable financial services. This is the authentic difference that makes a real impact in our world.”

The day will be celebrated on 20 October 2016, and the World Council hopes the event will raise awareness of credit union benefits and ultimately attract more members worldwide — contributing to World Council’s Vision 2020 goal of adding 50 million new members to credit unions by the year 2020.

Ahead of the event, the World Council has released a 2016 ICU Day poster illustrating the nine credit union principles that separate credit unions from other financial institutions. Credit unions are often described as financial co-operatives and share many of the core co-op values and principles, including democratic control, open membership and non-discrimination, as well as co-op co-operation, social responsibility and ongoing education. The poster also highlights the service to members, the distribution of profits to members and how credit unions build financial stability.

  • Official ICU Day graphics and posters in English and Spanish are available for download at www.woccu.org/icuday. Credit union representatives and members everywhere are encouraged to share photos, events and other celebration ideas on Twitter and Facebook using #ICUDay.
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