Great Southern Bank

Our team has the benefits of choice! If you’re just starting your career, you might be more interested in adding some additional funds towards your professional development than adding extra super to fund your retirement plans. Depending on where you are in life and in your career, your preferences, priorities and needs change. That’s why we’ve introduced our +Choice benefits to empower our team members to choose what actually benefits them. In addition to our usual comprehensive benefits package that’s designed to support mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing, our team members get to choose 1 of 3 preferred +Choice benefits each year: 📚 Professional Development Contribution: An additional $500 to invest in external learning opportunities. 🏝 Additional Leave: Three additional days of paid annual leave per year, bringing the total annual leave entitlement to 23 days. 💲 Additional Company Superannuation Contribution: An extra $500 each year to your nominated super fund, on top of compulsory employer super contributions. It’s another way we live our great culture and empower our team to thrive. Tell us… what would you choose? (and learn more about our great benefits here: https://lnkd.in/eZ_svmxq ) #MakeitGreat #GreatBenefits #EmployeeExperience Emmanuel Joanne Renee Tui Tracey Bianca Elac 

“With the money saved, I’d love to buy my kids and grandkids Christmas presents. I don’t have that kind of money at the moment.” For tenants like Claudette at Mission Australia’s 40-unit Mt Druitt complex, the installation of a new rooftop solar system is helping in more ways than one. It’s powering a more comfortable summer for tenants with more affordable air conditioning, while also reducing emissions and lowering household bills – giving them more money to spend on the things that matter most. The solar system was delivered as part of our $1 million, three-year partnership with Mission Australia that is delivering energy and efficiency upgrades to tenants at facilities across Australia. To date, upgrades have been completed at three Mission Australia facilities, and have included solar panels, window glazing, LED lighting and energy and water meters. And it’s making a real difference. At a Mission Australia complex in Forster, NSW, tenants are on track to save hundreds a year on their utility bills, thanks to similar upgrades. To hear first-hand about what our upgrades to the Mt Druitt complex mean to tenants, check out the video below 📽 #ResponsibleBanking #Partnership #Community #Sustainability Paul Sharon Megan Linda Mitchell Chanel

We’re celebrating 'great'! The Jack Harvey Awards is our annual night of glitz and glam to acknowledge and celebrate our bank’s biggest contributors – and there are many! More than 200 nominations were shortlisted to just over 30 finalists. Whether it was their genuine, collaborative, an empathetic leadership style or being a driver of an impactful project, every finalist was acknowledged for making an outstanding impact in our business and for our customers on their path to home ownership.  Today we’re pleased share an extra special congratulations to the winners of our three award categories: The prestigious Jack Harvey Excellence Award was presented to Andrew Barnes for strengthening the bank’s business processes and controls. His collaborative approach and commitment to quality are improving efficiencies and making a real difference to customers experiencing vulnerability.    Michael Fisher won the Exceptional Leadership Award for building a high performing team that works well under pressure. He safeguards his team’s well-being, encourages their professional development and has helped shape the careers of many team members.    A round of applause went to the Customer Contact Centre Leadership team for taking home the Team of the Year Award. Working together, Pino Campana, Rebecca McWilliam, Jasmine Elkington, Peter Mokdissi, Annie Brett, William Zhan, Samuel Oomen, Alexis Toomey, and René Innes introduced a new operating model and put greater focus on team development which has led to significant service improvements for customers.    Your exceptional ideas and drive to make great things happen are so appreciated, well done!   #OurGreatPeople #MakeItGreat #JackHarveyAwards #Recognition

Our Green Home Offer is here! 🏡 What would you add or build into your home to make it greener? Have you looked into solar panels or a home battery to optimise your home's energy efficiency? If you're building a new home perhaps you're looking at environmentally friendly design or materials? We know more Australians are prioritising the reduction of their environmental impact. As part of our climate action commitments, we're not only taking action on our bank's operational sustainability but finding ways to help our customers minimise their impact and save money by doing so. Late last year we introduced our first green personal loans. Today we're proud to launch our Green Home Offer. Head of Products Barbara O'Conor Nash says the offer provides customers wanting to buy or build an energy efficient home with an opportunity to save, and not just on their loan. "Our Green Home Offer provides a competitive discount on loans for homes that meet a minimum Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) score of 7.5 or above. That is, homes that have been built to recognised energy efficient standards that ensure they are as resilient and comfortable as possible," Barb says. "The offer is a perfect complement to our existing green personal loans that enable customers to add systems like solar panels to reduce energy use - which is where additional savings are found. Whether you’re adding a system to an existing home or building a new one the reduction in energy bills means more money in your savings account and a reduction in your household emissions to contribute to a greener future too." Learn more about our green home offer here: https://lnkd.in/eDmda3gZ Check your eligibility here: https://lnkd.in/edpMdfNZ or read more about the energy rating scheme on the NatHERS website: https://lnkd.in/gif7n8n #ResponsibleBanking #GreenHomeOffer #ClimateAction

Investing in First Nations-owned businesses creates value for everyone. In recognition of October being Indigenous Business Month, we are putting a spotlight on our partnership with Born Digital Solutions.  In the past year, the First Nations-owned systems automation consulting business has helped our bank streamline the processing of transactions. It’s this efficiency that allows us to free up our team’s time, so that they can focus on creating better services for our customers.  Tony Kljucevic, Managing Director at Born Digital Solutions, says the partnership has delivered value both to their business and Great Southern Bank.  “It’s wonderful to see Great Southern Bank actively seeking to work with more First Nations businesses. As a relatively small business in the technology space, we certainly appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities and building a fruitful working relationship that ultimately benefits both parties.” Our Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Linda Henry says it’s partnerships like these that allow us to break down systemic barriers, foster long-term relationships, and deliver on the commitments of our Reconciliation Action Plan. “Within our RAP, we have a number of commitments to improve the economic and social participation of First Nations peoples, and partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses is one way that we are delivering on this commitment,” says Linda. “Improving economic outcomes for First Nations peoples helps empower them to have greater choice over where and how they live, and we believe that aligns to our bank’s overarching purpose of helping all Australians to own their own home.”  Want to know more about our Reconciliation Action Plan? Read it here: https://lnkd.in/g8aUZ6JB #IndigenousBusinessMonth #ResponsibleBanking #FirstNationsBusiness

Our bank’s Chair, Nigel Ampherlaw has had an immense, positive impact on both our bank and the customer-owned banking sector – and last night his leadership was recognised by the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM), who inducted him onto their Honour Roll along with another 7 outstanding leaders from the co-operatives and mutuals sector.    This is well-deserved recognition – Nigel’s support and guidance have been pivotal to the growth of our bank.   Congratulations Nigel, and thanks for all you have done.  #coop

A journey from major multinationals to making our mobile banking great. Meet Aaron. He’s one of the team behind our seamless digital banking experience. Aaron has always had a natural curiosity for technology. It led him to complete a Bachelor of Information Systems in his native Malaysia. After honing his skills in customer service and software engineering at several major multinational organisations, followed by a move to Australia, he was ready for a new challenge that aligned with his values. It came in 2021 when a recruiter approached him about an opportunity with our bank. “What attracted me to Great Southern Bank was the opportunity to use my experience from large international corporations and apply it to a bank that is local, and 100% customer owned,” say Aaron. As a Product Owner in Digital Banking, Aaron wears many hats. His day typically revolves around ensuring our mobile banking app is running smoothly. Aaron says delivering value and functionality - like our ‘Look Who’s Charging’ feature which helps users track unknown transactions – is always guided by customer feedback. “Around 80% of our customers do their banking digitally - through the app or the website,” he says. “Even though my role isn’t customer facing, the nicest part of my job is that I get to hear a lot of customer feedback first-hand and make improvements based on their suggestions.” It’s true that customer obsession isn’t just for customer-facing roles at Great Southern Bank - we love how yours is embedded into how you make our mobile banking great, Aaron! Learn more about how our team is making banking great here: https://lnkd.in/gw8uPvi8 #MakeItGreat #OurGreatPeople #CustomerOwned #DigitalBanking Joe Jeremy

Is Financial Inclusion a banking buzzword? As a customer-owned bank founded nearly 80 years ago to help Australians ignored by the big banks, we say absolutely not. In fact, we believe that financial inclusion is what underpins the integrity and sustainability of the banking sector. Here’s why Financial Inclusion is essential to better, and more responsible, banking: 💙 It expands and enables access: financial inclusion ensures that every person, regardless of their socio-economic background, has access to essential financial services. This not only empowers communities but also drives economic growth by tapping into previously underserved markets.   ⚖ It fosters and facilitates economic stability: by offering a wider range of financial products and services, banks can help individuals manage their finances better, build savings, and gain access to credit. This contributes to greater economic resilience for both individuals and communities, creating a more stable banking ecosystem.   💡 It inspires and drives innovation and product development: banks are driven to create products that meet the diverse needs of various customer segments. From mobile banking solutions to tailored small business banking products, innovation is key to ensuring that no one is left behind. By committing to financial inclusion, we know we’re not only enhancing the banking sector but also empowering our customers and communities to thrive. What did Financial Inclusion look like in FY24 for our bank? Read the slides below 🔽 or our annual report: Find our Financial Inclusion Action Plan here: https://lnkd.in/gsH2qUWT #ResponsibleBanking #FinancialInclusion #CustomerOwned

We’re celebrating and supporting First Nations business. October is Indigenous Business Month. It’s a chance for us to celebrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owned businesses we are partnering with on our pathway to reconciliation. And we have a lot to celebrate! In the past financial year, we leveraged our membership with Supply Nation, Australia’s largest directory of First Nations businesses, to engage around 10 certified First Nations businesses for everything from automating systems to helping us move offices, provide office supplies and cater events. We’ve also become a Founding Partner of the 'Loorende-gat Business and Entrepreneur Program,' joining forces with Carlton Football Club, Kinaway-The Victorian Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and the First Nations Foundation to empower current and aspiring First Nations small business owners nationwide with skills and networks to start or grow their businesses. On our pathway to reconciliation, we’ve learned a lot. We know that one of the best ways we can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owned businesses is by helping other businesses learn how they too can diversify their supply chain. Check out our top 3 learnings below and read our Innovate RAP for more: https://lnkd.in/g8aUZ6JB #IndigenousBusinessMonth #ResponsibleBanking #Reconciliation #FirstNationsBusiness  

“I love challenging myself” This month’s Human of Great Southern Bank is Benjamin Diplock, who loves a challenge. Ben got his start in our Graduate Program in 2020 and found that Product was his calling. He’s a Product Manager for Home Lending and describes his role as, “working across the business to understand the needs of customers that a product or feature will fulfil, and then turning that into reality.” “I love how dynamic my role is and the breadth of work that I get to cover. I can go from collaborating with retention teams on how to best assist our customers, to working through how we can keep pace with a changing competitive market,” he said. In his spare time, Ben loves training for triathlons but the next big event he will compete in will be a half Ironman (1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run). “I was a competitive swimmer in high school and then purchased a bike during COVID. Once I got into running, it seemed like a natural progression to join the three sports together. I enjoy challenging myself and the variety that comes from training multiple disciplines. I’m part of a club which is great as you can pick up tips and tricks from others as well as striking up some friendly rivalries.” Outside of triathlons, Ben is a keen traveller, with the Balkans next on the list. We love that you're part of helping us keep pace in a competitive banking market and in your training, Ben! What’s a challenge you’re hoping to complete by the end of the year? #HumansofGreatSouthernBank #OurGreatPeople #ProductManagement Barbara Megan Paul