ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada-Credit unions meeting here were told that ethical operations are critical to the success of organizations of all sizes and especially credit unions.
The message, from Anthony Emerson, CEO of the Credit Union League of Connecticut (CULCT), was that firms that don't operate ethically are soon found out and may soon find themselves out of business.
"Better to start small than to not start at all," Emerson told attendees of the Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad & Tobago's (CCULTT) recent leadership conference on the island of Grenada. "Ethics are a scalable solution that can and should be used by organizations of all sizes."
Emerson, as well as representatives from three Connecticut credit unions, participated in the four-day conference as part of CULCT's role as CCULTT's partner through World Council of Credit Unions' (WOCCU) International Partnerships Program. In addition to Trinidad & Tobago, the conference drew attendees from credit union movements and government offices in Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, including Tillman Thomas, prime minister of Grenada.
At the same meeting, Kathy Chartier, CEO of Members Credit Union, Stamford, Conn., led a session on the importance of engaging the youth market during tough economic times. As part of their youth educations efforts, CCULTT member credit unions plan to hold student "reality fairs" in local high schools, offering life education skills training.
