Thinking Globally

This week, on Oct. 17, the credit union movement will celebrate International Credit Union (ICU) Day (#ICUDay2024). This is the 76th year of ICU Day and this year’s theme is “One World Through Cooperative Finance.”

ICU Day is an intentional way for all members of the credit union movement to remember that we are part of something bigger. When I talked with Mike Reuter, President of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, about the celebration on my podcast last month, he challenged credit unions to “think globally” and ask yourself, “How is what I’m doing helping to make the world a better place?”

It’s easy to focus so much on what we’re doing in our own front yard that we can forget how much we share with credit unions around the world. Whether it’s advocacy successes, regulatory hurdles or technology changes, it’s useful to remember that a credit union a world away is facing the same issues as you. When we stop and recognize the larger context of our movement, I think it can make way for us to integrate, as Mike challenged, international perspectives into our routine.

Sometimes that means attending WOCCU’s annual conference to hear colleagues from all over the globe share first-hand our challenges and successes. It can also mean bringing those international perspectives into your credit union so team members can better understand how we operate as a global cooperative movement. Or, and this is something I aspire to do more often, is to reach out on a personal basis — especially if you are a leader — to fellow leaders that serve outside of your national movement.

ICU Day is also a chance to raise awareness of what we do on a daily basis for our members. When we celebrate the day by volunteering in the community, hosting a giveaway in the lobby, holding a fundraising event, we are raising visibility of not only credit unions but the idea that credit unions are global, and that to be a member of a credit union, the same way when you’re a team member, means you’re part of this larger force for good.

There’s a pride in being part of a credit union, and I see it all year round in all of my colleagues. But we also need to work at translating that to members — by better defining our global movement to members, and potential members, and instilling that sense of pride, we become more than their financial provider. We become their partner.

However you decide to participate this year, please share it with us on social media using #ICUDay2024!

Also, you can still order an #ICUDay2024 pin from WOCCU, as well as other merchandise, and wear it all throughout the month of October. Find that here.

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