UW Credit Union obtains Juntos Avanzamos designation

UW Credit Union kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month early this year, becoming the first Madison-based credit union and one of only three credit unions with locations in Milwaukee to obtain the distinguished Juntos Avanzamos designation. It is currently the largest Juntos Avanzamos-designated credit union in the state.

Juntos Avanzamos, meaning “together we advance,” recognizes credit unions committed to empowering Hispanic/Latinx and immigrant consumers. UW Credit Union recently hosted a proclamation ceremony in conjunction with Inclusiv. CEO Paul Kundert was presented with the official Juntos Avanzamos flag, which will be raised alongside the Hispanic Heritage Month flag next week.

Eligibility for the Juntos Avanzamos designation includes an extensive application process that demonstrates how credit unions are serving the needs of the Hispanic/Latinx market. To foster financial independence and literacy, the credit union partners with Centro Hispano through the organization’s Caminos Finance Program. Ongoing partnerships with GreenPath and Banzai provide additional bilingual resources.

Twenty-six of the 32 UW Credit Union branches have Hispanic, bilingual frontline staff. To demonstrate its appreciation of employees who are certified as proficient in Spanish (approximately 150 currently), UW Credit Union enhanced its bilingual pay premium in 2021.

In August, the credit union introduced a more inclusive scheduling tool that enables Spanish-speaking members to easily request face-to-face appointments with bilingual staff. UW Credit Union also continues to recruit Spanish-speaking employees to help eliminate language barriers and inform more tailored financial literacy efforts. Bilingual positions for financial specialists and tellers are currently available in both Madison and Milwaukee.