Commitment to Sustainability
Mid Penn Bank is focused on serving the needs of our shareholders, our loyal customers, the communities we serve, and our dedicated employees. As part of this mission, we are focused on integrating Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) principles into how we do business. In 2022, Mid Penn Bank built upon this mission by expanding its ESG oversight framework and further outlining its ESG strategy.
We believe that improving our sustainable business practices is essential for long-term growth. Our core values of loyalty, professionalism, integrity, communication, and accountability reflect what is truly important to us as an organization. These values are the driving force behind our ESG commitment.
Environmental Responsibility
We feel strongly that good environmental stewardship is each individual’s and each business’s responsibility. As such, we recognize the need to not only comply with increased regulations and stricter environmental standards, but also lead the way in doing even more. Mid Penn is committed to operating in a sustainable manner, reducing the environmental impact of our operations, and conserving resources thoughtfully. Mid Penn has undertaken multiple initiatives designed with those goals in mind including:
- Increased the use of e-records and e-signing technology resulting in a reduction of paper waste and carbon emissions.
- Encouraged environmentally-friendly workplace practices by adding water filtration systems to all facilities in order to discontinue the use of disposable plastic water bottles.
- Continued a multi-year process of converting all facilities to energy efficient systems and LED lighting to minimize carbon footprint.
- Updated the interior finishes of facilities to include flooring that is UL Environmental Certified or UL Greenguard Certified and furniture that is LEED Certified.
Social Impact – Employees
Our success depends on a highly-skilled, properly-motivated, and valued workforce. To that end, employees are provided with professional development opportunities to gain the skills and knowledge they need to advance the interests of Mid Penn and fulfill personal career goals. Some of the ways that Mid Penn invests in human capital are:
- Mid Penn University, offering over 60 instructor-led classes on topics such as technical banking skills, compliance, business development, and more
- Partnership with HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, providing cost-free higher education to full-time employees who endeavor to earn a degree while continuing to work
- Individualized development planning and career planning
- Professional Development Associate (“PDA”) program
- Mentorship and emerging leaders programs
- Performance coaching
- Student internship program
Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (“DEI”) are very important to us at Mid Penn. Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion starts with our goal of attracting, retaining, and developing a workforce that is diverse in background, knowledge, skill, and experience. As of December 2022, women represented approximately 68% and self-identified racial and ethnic minorities represented approximately 11% of our workforce.
Social Impact – Community
Mid Penn measures success not only in financial terms, but also in community impact. First and foremost, we are a community bank committed to investing in the financial health and well-being of all our neighbors, and we believe that the success of our communities is a shared responsibility. In 2022, we donated $2.41 million to over 945 organizations through fundraising efforts, educational sponsorship, community development efforts, charity drives, and partnerships. Our employees volunteered a total of 10,322 hours in the community.
Mid Penn’s community initiatives center on three tenets:
- Community Partnerships, including team members who teach financial education classes.
- Community Investments, including affordable housing, workforce development, community service, and education.
- Community Involvement, where our employees are valuable participants in our communities.
In 2022, Mid Penn is proud to have:
- Participated in the Beyond School Walls program through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, which provides financial education and mentorship to high school students.
- Supported Tri-County Housing Development Corporation, which develops affordable housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. Mid Penn employees served on the Board of Directors and taught new homebuyer education classes.
- Bolstered principles of financial responsibility through the My Savings Account and Banzai, Inc. programs.
- Awarded academic scholarships to deserving high school seniors throughout Pennsylvania.
- Served as an executive board member of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks County, Inc., advising residents who often experience difficulty securing a loan.
- Supported 188 educational and scholarship organizations.
- Raised $423,000 for breast cancer and prostate cancer research through our Celebrity Golf Classic and No Shave November fundraisers.
Mid Penn is passionate about being a good corporate citizen in the communities where we live and work. Going forward, we will continue to partner with nonprofit organizations to promote financial literacy, decrease the number of individuals facing economic barriers, and make our communities a reflection of our commitments and values.
Governance & Ethics
As a publicly-traded community financial institution, it is incumbent upon Mid Penn to assure that our operations are conducted in a manner that is both ethical and transparent. Mid Penn is committed to achieving excellence in our governance practices and to establish a strong foundation for the long-term success of our corporation. We conduct our business in a manner that is fair, ethical, and responsible to earn and maintain the trust of our customers, employees, investors, partners, and regulators.
Our Board prioritizes corporate citizenship by aligning our DEI and ESG programs under our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, providing a formalized structure. With a view toward increasing the representation of women, underrepresented populations, and the LGBTQ+ community on the Board, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee identified a goal of achieving, over time, a balanced level of diversity on the Board and added two members with diverse racial and gender backgrounds in 2021.
Our ESG strategy encompasses environmental stewardship, social impact on the communities we serve as well as our employees, and stringent governance practices. This framework and strategy will help guide Mid Penn Bank in creating a better environment and stronger communities in the future. To view our entire ESG Fact Sheet, please visit the link below.