5 Best Socially Responsible Banks for 2026

Want your money sitting at a bank that isn’t working against the things you care about? Good news: you don’t have to take a bank’s word for it.

Three outside labels do most of the work for you. A Certified B Corporation, a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) have each been checked by somebody other than the bank’s own marketing team.

So the 5 banks below are the ones that state at least one of those on their own site today. Amalgamated Bank and Beneficial State Bank are the two we’d look at first, and where you live will probably decide the rest.

5 Best Socially Responsible Banks

We read each bank’s own site on October 12, 2026. A certification can lapse, so look for the badge on the bank’s site before you move your money.

1. Amalgamated Bank

Amalgamated opened about a century ago to serve working class immigrant women, and it still leans hard into that history. It’s a Certified B Corp, it has been part of the GABV since 2016, and it says it’s 100% committed to renewable energy.

It also runs a fossil fuel free investing portfolio, and unions are one of the groups it’s built to serve. If you want one bank whose whole pitch is values, this is the one.

• CERTIFICATION: B Corp, GABV
• AVAILABILITY: branches including Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, a commercial office in Boston, and online

2. Beneficial State Bank

Beneficial State Bank checks all three boxes: B Corp, CDFI and GABV. And it’s specific about what it won’t do. The bank says it avoids investing in or lending to fossil fuel, private prison and weapons manufacturing companies.

The ownership is what really sets it apart. A nonprofit, Beneficial State Foundation, is the majority owner of the bank’s capital, which is a very different setup from a bank owned by outside investors.

It reported $1.98 billion in total assets as of 2025, and it offers personal and business accounts plus credit cards.

• CERTIFICATION: B Corp, CDFI, GABV
• AVAILABILITY: branches in California, Oregon and Washington, and online

3. Sunrise Banks

Sunrise Banks calls itself a socially responsible community bank, and it has the paperwork: Certified B Corp, certified CDFI and GABV member. Its focus is what it calls financial empowerment for all.

The downside is reach. You’ll only find locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota and in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

• CERTIFICATION: B Corp, CDFI, GABV
• AVAILABILITY: Minnesota and South Dakota

4. City First Bank

City First Bank is a certified B Corp, a Public Benefit Corporation and a certified CDFI focused on low and moderate income communities. It describes itself as a mission-driven commercial bank, so it’s a better fit for a nonprofit or a small business than for someone hunting for a slick consumer app.

• CERTIFICATION: B Corp, CDFI
• AVAILABILITY: branches in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles

5. Mascoma Bank

Mascoma Bank has served New Hampshire and Vermont since 1899. It’s a Certified B Corporation and a mutual bank, which means it was set up to help its communities and customers, not to benefit investors.

One thing to know: Mascoma and Androscoggin Bank have united under ClearNorth Financial Mutual Holding Company.

• CERTIFICATION: B Corp
• AVAILABILITY: New Hampshire and Vermont

What About GreenFi and Ando?

Both come up a lot. Neither one made the cut.

GreenFi is a newer green banking app from Mission Financial Partners, launched on April 22, 2025. GreenFi says your deposits won’t fund fossil fuels, and its GreenFi Plus plan advertises up to 3.25% APY on savings.

So why isn’t GreenFi ranked above? Its site doesn’t state a B Corp, GABV or CDFI certification, and that’s the bar for this list. It may still be worth a look if fossil fuel free deposits are the main thing you’re after.

Ando is simpler. Its website no longer loads, so we took it off.

How We Picked These Banks

We went to each bank’s own site on October 12, 2026 and kept the ones that state a B Corp, GABV or CDFI credential there. That cut the list from 11 to 5. Capital One, Ally and PNC came off because they were never on the old list for one of these three credentials. Spring Bank came off only because we couldn’t load its site to check.

What Are Socially Responsible Banks?

When you think of “big banks” and other financial institutions, probably the first thing that comes to mind isn’t the environment or social causes.

A socially responsible bank tries to change that. It pays attention to where your deposits get loaned out, and it’s willing to be checked on it. These are the three labels worth knowing.

B Corporation

The B Corp Certification is for businesses that balance profit and purpose in how they operate. It covers any kind of company, not just banks, so a B Corp bank has been measured on how it treats workers, customers, its community and the environment.

Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV)

The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) is an independent network of banks that use finance to deliver social and environmental good. It lists 74 members in more than 45 countries.

Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)

CDFI certification comes from the CDFI Fund, an office inside the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It goes to specialized organizations that provide financial services in low-income communities and to people who lack access to financing.

Socially Responsible Banks FAQs

Which banks are the most ethical?

There’s no single scoreboard, and a certification doesn’t make a bank perfect. But a bank that holds more than one outside credential has more people checking its work. On this list, Beneficial State Bank and Sunrise Banks state all three.

Which banks are eco-friendly?

Look for a bank that says in plain words what it won’t fund. Beneficial State Bank says it avoids fossil fuel lending, Amalgamated Bank says it’s 100% committed to renewable energy, and GreenFi says its deposits won’t fund fossil fuels.

How can I find a socially responsible bank near me?

Most of these banks are regional, so start with the table above and see which one has branches in your state. If none do, check whether the bank lets you open an account online, or look up certified CDFIs near you on the CDFI Fund’s site.

Up Next:

• Why My Capital One Credit Card Account is Restricted?
• How to Pay Bills Online to Save Time and Money
• Finding Your Chase Routing Number (By State)
• What Are Chase Bank’s Hours?
• How Does Venmo Work: The Definitive Guide