BEST COMPANIES

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, SD, Pathward operates as a nationally chartered bank dedicated to increasing financial access, choice and opportunity. While its business lines provide essential services ranging from digital payments and consumer credit to specialized equipment financing, the bank’s influence extends beyond its balance sheet. Through its Community Impact Program, Pathward has successfully woven social responsibility into its corporate DNA, creating a culture where the progress of the people it serves is a business success metric.

This commitment is powered by a highly engaged workforce that is involved in local outreach. During fiscal year 2025, Pathward employees logged more than 140 volunteer hours to support Financial Fundamentals, a flagship program designed to build financial literacy across generations. This curriculum empowers participants to navigate the banking system with confidence, with employees delivering tailored education to students at Webb Middle School in Tampa and adults through partnerships with the Veterans Community Project and EmBe in Sioux Falls. To encourage this level of involvement, the bank offers robust benefits like paid time off for volunteering and a “Dollars for Doers” initiative that rewards employee volunteerism.

The bank’s impact is further defined by its ability to address practical barriers to success. Recently, Pathward donated refurbished laptops to several Sioux Falls organizations, enabling individuals to build resumes and pursue stable employment. Additionally, the Pathward Scholars Program, a collaboration with the Arizona Community Foundation, provides annual scholarships that cover tuition and fees to students pursuing post-secondary education, even offering assistance for dependent care costs.

Pathward tracks these efforts through a new Community Impact Platform that achieved a 69% employee participation rate, significantly outpacing industry benchmarks. This engagement has contributed to Pathward earning the Great Place to Work Certification™ three years in a row, with 92% of surveyed employees expressing pride in how the organization
serves its communities. At Pathward, community impact is not just a program; it is a fundamental driver of the bank’s commitment to expand financial access for all.