UNI’s added value includes agility and humanity

Brigitte McNaughton took a summer job at UNI Financial Cooperation after graduating from high school. “I thought I would take an aesthetician program in the fall, but once I started I quickly discovered a field that could challenge me and allow me to grow,” says McNaughton, member service manager. “By the end of the summer, my supervisor encouraged me to stay.”

UNI supported McNaughton to complete her bachelor’s degree in business part-time, allowing her to gain experience in a branch while she finished her studies. “The difference I can make for a member makes my day. This is where I am meant to be.”

With $5.3-billion in assets, 1,100 employees and more than 150,000 members, UNI Financial Cooperation is an active contributor to New Brunswick’s economic development ecosystem – and beyond. Founded in Petit-Rocher, N.B., 88 years ago, it is the first federally regulated credit union in Canada.

“We encourage our employees to participate and grow, working from entry-level up,” says CEO Camille H. Thériault. “They are our best ambassadors.”

UNI supports employee training and development, and in return, leaders ask that key take-aways be shared among team members. Communications staff stay up to date on the latest platforms to give employees the timely updates, tools and knowledge needed to serve members.

“We believe in giving employees a chance to try, and we support them to improve,” says Thériault.

The UNI team also believes in the power of the co-operative’s core values. Last year, leaders set up a special committee tasked with reviewing its values in a joint effort to modernize and connect with current and potential employees. After consultation and brainstorming, the group added agility, mutual aid and humanity to the core values of courage and integrity.

The values were then presented to team leaders. “They were very well received,” says McNaughton. “For me, each chevron from UNI’s logo represents one of the values, making the UNI star shine even brighter. We say if we all practise the core values, we will continue to be strong and make a difference for our members.”

McNaughton has been able to work her way up through a variety of positions. Last year, she was invited to bring the perspective of the front-line employees, who speak with customers every day, to the team who reviewed the values. “We are encouraged to contribute and respected when we speak,” she says. “I have always been backed up and mentored in my work. My goal is to do the same for our team members.”

And UNI employees don’t just support each other at work. Thériault finds they do the same in their community. UNI provides community sponsorships, bursaries and donations and the co-operative encourages employees to volunteer. Employees will join together to help in a community garden or volunteer in a food bank. Others volunteer on their own in areas from soccer leagues to the library. “We hire people with core values already there,” says Thériault.

After 13 years at UNI, Thériault stepped down as CEO in 2016, but was then asked to come back in 2023. On his return, he found still in existence the charitable program he had launched with a group of employees in 2004 to offer a better Christmas to less fortunate people in the Acadian Peninsula. That same group of employees had taken on the initiative to keep it going.

“We work as a team – a chain where every employee is a link,” says Thériault. “What makes UNI different is our heart.”

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Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.