Sustainability. Equality. Choice.

Credit unions worldwide offer members much more than financial services. They provide members the opportunity to own their own financial institution and help them create opportunities such as starting small businesses, building family homes and educating their children. In some countries, members encounter their first taste of democratic decision making through their credit unions.

Credit unions are democratic, member-owned financial cooperatives. Each member, regardless of account size in the credit union, may run for the board and cast a vote in elections. As financial intermediaries, credit unions finance their loan portfolios by mobilizing member savings and shares rather than using outside capital, thus providing opportunities for generations of members.

Credit unions exist to serve their members and communities. As not-for-profit cooperative institutions, credit unions use excess earnings to offer members more affordable loans, a higher return on savings, lower fees or new products and services. They serve members from all walks of life, including the poor and disenfranchised.

Credit unions are safe, convenient places to access affordable financial services. Credit unions offer a full range of financial services, giving members greater flexibility to meet their individual needs. In some countries, credit unions are known by different names to better express those services. In Afghanistan, for example, credit unions are called Islamic investment and finance cooperatives (IIFCs) to comply with Islamic lending practices; in Africa, they are known as savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs) to emphasize savings before credit.