BC's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 38
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BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
A purpose-led culture builds success at Coast Capital
W
hen Jackson
White was
hired as
a director
of talent
acquisition at Coast Capital
Savings Federal Credit Union
in 2018, he didn’t foresee being
promoted to vice-president
of human resources at the
Vancouver-based credit union in
under seven years.
“It wasn’t what I’d anticipated, but it’s been an incredible
journey,” says White, who credits
Coast Capital’s emphasis on
purpose and employee development with giving him the support
he needed. “I’m probably a good
testament of what career development at Coast Capital can mean.”
We are a purposedriven company,
and it shows with
every employee. You
can showcase your
skill set while still
being genuinely and
authentically you.
— Sean McGuire
Branch Manager
In 2020, Coast Capital adopted
a social purpose business model
dedicated to building better
futures by unlocking financial
opportunities for its members,
employees and communities. This
approach shapes the company’s
culture and empowers employees
to align their work with purpose
while benefiting from career
Coast Capital offers a formalized mentorship program to equip employees with the skills needed to advance
in their careers.
development opportunities.
Through networking and
mentorships, senior leaders create
pathways for growth for younger
professionals, who bring fresh
perspectives to benefit the entire
organization.
Coast Capital’s leadership
training includes programs for
those in junior positions as well as
for senior leaders. The company
also helps employees take external
courses with the goal of learning
skills that equip them to reach
their career goals. And the widely
utilized mentorship program is an
important part of career development at Coast Capital.
“It’s a formalized program
where you sign up to be a mentor
or a mentee and put together a
profile that describes what you
can offer or what you’re looking
for,” says White, who’s mentoring
four employees. “It’s up to the
employee to reach out and make
that match, but there’s an application that makes the process very
straightforward.”
For White, mentorship is part
of a culture that prizes mutual
support. “One of the cultural
behaviours that are important to
us is the value of lifting each other
up,” he says. “It’s core to who we
are as an organization.”
White is also proud of Coast
Capital’s equity, diversity and inclusion program, which includes
training in areas like reconciliation
and accessibility. “As part of our
employment equity plan, we’re
launching an anti-bias curriculum supported by a community
partner that has experts in helping
people understand unconscious
bias,” he says.
Sean McGuire, who joined
Coast Capital last year as a branch
manager, appreciates the many
opportunities he’s been given in
a relatively short time, including
the way he was welcomed and
immediately given the chance to
grow.
“Everybody was friendly and
receptive,” he says. “I got to meet a
lot of people in areas I’m interested in, like strategy, products and
commercial banking. I feel like
right away I was set up for success,
and I’ve been able to grow my
network quickly.”
For McGuire, that early experience reflects the Coast Capital
employee promise, which includes
