The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation named Lendmark Financial Services, an Atlanta-based leading provider of household credit and consumer loan solutions, a finalist in the 23rd Annual Citizens Awards. The Citizens Awards are a long-standing program that honors businesses for the impact they make in communities around the world. Lendmark was nominated for the Best Corporate Steward - Small and Middle-Market Business category for its efforts to fight childhood cancer and create a welcoming work environment for military veterans.

“As a mid-sized organization, we have focused our societal priorities on two main initiatives to maximize our impact in the communities we serve,” said Bobby Aiken, president and CEO of Lendmark Financial Services. “Lendmark knows that good corporate citizenship is key to driving positive change and improving the lives of our employees, customers, partners and communities at large.”

This annual awards program recognizes the most innovative and impactful corporate citizenship initiatives raising the bar on social responsibility and accelerating momentum for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Lendmark launched Climb to Cure (C2C), the company’s signature cause-related initiative, in 2016, partnering with Atlanta-based nonprofit CURE Childhood Cancer to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research. Lendmark is being honored by the Citizens Awards for its 2019-2021 C2C campaigns, which brought the company’s fundraising total for CURE to $3.5 million.

This year, Lendmark announced a bold four-year goal, $10 million in 10 Years, to mark its 2025 10-year anniversary of partnering with CURE. The company also extended C2C to include customers. With the addition of 2022 fundraising efforts, Lendmark’s total donated to CURE has risen to $4.73 million.

Lendmark is also being honored by the Citizens Awards for its Veterans Integration Program (VIP), which was launched in 2015 to formalize the company’s veterans initiatives and programs, recognize its military workforce, and ensure that veterans and their spouses and caretakers feel that they belong in the workplace. Through VIP, Lendmark blends internal processes to drive successful talent acquisition with external partnerships with military-affiliated organizations to stay abreast of best practices for military-friendly employers. 

The program also includes a veterans forum and buddy system for veteran employees, publicly recognizes VIPs through various internal channels, and gives each vet a commemorative gift on milestone occasions.

The winners of the 23rd Annual Citizens Awards will be announced during the U.S. Chamber Foundation’sCorporate Citizenship Conference: Business Solves on November 16, 2022. Learn more about the awards program and register to attend the event here.