FNB is part of the conversations, projects and initiatives that will create greater equity for our customers and communities.
Change takes hard work, difficult conversations and perseverance. It takes being present, which is why we put ourselves at the forefront of the initiatives that will move us all toward greater racial and economic equality.
Our commitment starts on our own team, through open and ongoing dialogue with leadership and our customers regarding racial and social equality and current events. It informs our strategy and extends into the communities we serve – down to our physical presence, with many regional headquarters and branches deliberately placed to contribute to growth in urban, predominantly minority and low-to-moderate (LMI) income communities. And each year, employees at all levels of our organization contribute to progress through thousands of volunteer hours benefitting dozens of community groups in underserved neighborhoods.
Most importantly, we listen. We proactively communicate with nonprofits, economic development and advocacy groups and our employees to understand how we can improve and have a greater impact. This approach was integral in the development of financial education information that we deploy through eStore® online, using mobile banking or in branches throughout our footprint. We surveyed a cross-section of community development organizations representing a range of minority and LMI groups to determine the most critical elements and ensure that we are providing resources that add value and benefit our communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic upended everyday life as we know it. FNB acted immediately to support our customers while keeping safety top of mind.
Understanding that the impact of the pandemic has been disproportionately felt in already vulnerable areas, we proactively reached out to our communities to strengthen our support network. In addition to making a significant commitment to COVID-19 relief efforts, this included contacting more than 100 local organizations with information about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to ensure that minority-owned businesses had the resources and information they needed to obtain funding and stay in business and continue to pay their workforce. We have originated hundreds of thousands of dollars in PPP loans in LMI, predominantly minority and rural neighborhoods, assisting thousands of small businesses and employees and facilitating continued employment for tens of thousands of people.
