#MadeReady to Support Our Environment
Caring for our community and protecting our planet are core to who we are. Citizens is committed to helping create a healthy, inclusive and sustainable future, which extends to our colleagues, customers and communities.
While this effort is ongoing, Earth Day provides an annual opportunity to reflect on why the environment is important to each of us and to identify how we can contribute. Citizens colleagues are taking action for a better future every day.
Meet a few of our colleagues who are dedicated to advancing this work:
Tommy Gunn, Madison, NH
Data Quality Control Manager, Real Estate Operations
How did you get involved in community service?
I wanted to find a way to give back to my community in places that etched a memory of family life over the years. I volunteer every Tuesday with the US Forest Service to help with trash, picnic table and footbridge repairs, trail clearing and more. I am now celebrating 5 years with the organization and have contributed nearly 2,000 volunteer hours.
What is the most rewarding part of giving back to your community?
Giving back and knowing you helped making someone's experience a little better is the most rewarding part.
What advice do you have for those looking to make a difference in their communities?
Find something you are passionate about and help make a difference to a person, community or organization.
Nancy Hasey-Ross, Westwood MA
Head of Risk Analytics
Why do you care about the environment?
We only have one earth and it's important to take care of it for future generations to maintain our health & well-being, as well as our wildlife and natural resources.
What is Citizens doing in this area that is most exciting to you?
Citizens is mobilizing resources enterprise-wide to build a comprehensive Climate Risk program. My efforts are focused on building out the infrastructure to support reporting and analytics to effectively manage climate risk at Citizens. It's always exciting bringing lots of smart people together across the bank to achieve a common goal. This is one of those kind of roll-up your sleeves initiatives where I am proud to be contributing.
What are you reading, listening to, or watching these days to learn more about these issues?
Lots and lots of regulatory guidance and articles, which is a tremendous amount to learn with broad implications.
Betsy Marvin, Clearwater, FL
Senior Account Executive, Consumer Banking
How did you get involved in community service?
During the pandemic, I was walking and was disheartened at the amount of trash on our beautiful causeway. I started bringing trash bags on the walks and it sort of grew organically once friends and other members of the community heard about my efforts.
What is the most rewarding part of giving back to your community?
It was very rewarding to see students join our efforts to help make an impact in the community during the pandemic, while receiving the critical community hours they needed to make them eligible for college scholarships.
What advice do you have for those looking to make a difference in their communities?
Do it from your heart! I love seeing the benefits of picking up trash in one of the most popular and beautiful beaches and roadways in the country.
Odi Odayappan, Johnston, RI
Data Solutions Manager
How did you get involved in community service?
I read an article in National Geographic about the destruction of Amazon forests for commercial purposes. Since then, whenever I see a new development area, I wonder about the impact to the environment. A few years back, my son came up with the idea of planting trees to offset paper consumption in his high school. This idea grew into a nonprofit to help replenish trees across the country.
What is the most rewarding part of giving back to your community?
It is not just about giving back to my local community; it is giving back to the world at large. What started as one activity in a high school has resulted in a national program which has planted 19,787 trees across 85 schools. This year, we already have about 400 schools enrolled.
What advice do you have for those looking to make a difference in their communities?
Just seek out the opportunities and do it. Always make sure you keep your work, family, and community life in balance. One cannot be compromised for the other.
Kristine Schnaufer, Pittsburgh, PA
Senior Product Manager, Commercial Liquidity
How are you contributing to Citizens’ environmental sustainability efforts?
I helped launch and am the product manager for product offerings that support our clients’ environmental efforts in the commercial space.
What is Citizens doing in this area that is most exciting to you?
Citizens is taking a broader look at ESG initiatives across the enterprise and investing resources in valuable talent to help drive this change. It's important to me that the company I work for gives back to our communities and leaves a greener footprint.
What are you reading, listening to, or watching these days to learn more about these issues?
I’m currently working on a professional certification for Leading the Sustainability Transformation through Greenbiz. I also just watched a fascinating documentary on Netflix called Kiss the Ground.
Gradon Tripp, Johnston, RI
Business Support Manager, Office of the Chairman
Why do you care about the environment?
It's the foundation of all human existence. It's kind of a big deal!
How are you contributing to Citizens’ environmental sustainability efforts?
I'm helping to spread the word about all the good work happening within the bank. I also drive an electric vehicle!
What are you reading, listening to, or watching these days to learn more about these issues?
Yale's "Climate Connections" and MIT's "TILclimate" are great intros to climate change and green energy solutions. I would also suggest the podcasts; Gimlet's "How to Save a Planet", "Drilled", "The Way Out is In". For books, I’d suggest All We Can Save and Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet.