Sustainability Certification Reimbursement

Terms & Conditions

Encouraging standardization, transparency, and accountability within the broader conversation about social and environmental responsibility is a cause we care deeply about, which is part of why we've applied for B Corp certification ourselves. But we also hope to promote those values through our relationships with the businesses we lend to. In that spirit, we're excited to offer $500 to cover the costs of pursuing sustainability-related certifications to any business or organization that receives a Walden Mutual loan. Take a look at the terms and conditions laid out below to understand more about your eligibility and how the program is administered.

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Who is eligible?

Any business or organization (including non-profits) that satisfies the following criteria is eligible to receive reimbursement:

Each borrower relationship is eligible for a single fee reimbursement (ex. one business owner with two active loans is eligible for a single fee reimbursement; two joint business owners with a single active loan are also eligible for a single fee reimbursement).

What kind of certifications are eligible?

Any certification that relates to social or environmental responsibility may be deemed eligible. B Corp Certification (B Labs) and Regenerative Organic Certification (Rodale Institute) are two examples whose eligibility has been confirmed. Other submissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Bank, and approved based on alignment with existing industry standards.

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How does the process work?

Easy! It's four easy steps:

  1. Submit a request to your loan officer. Thinking about pursuing a sustainability-related certification? Start by checking your eligibility relative to the criteria listed above, identifying the certification you're interested in, and reaching out to your Walden Mutual loan officer. They'll ask some basic questions about your interest, review the specific certification you're considering, and provide you with a formal approval (via email).

    This request can only be submitted after the criteria laid out above has been satisfied.
  2. Secure the certification. Once your request has been approved, go get certified! Depending on the certification, this process can take varying amounts of time (ex. Certified Organic could take multiple years, vs. others could take a period of weeks or months). You and your loan officer will establish a reasonable timeline for pursuing the certification during the initial conversation - during which the offer for reimbursement will continue to be available.
  3. Request reimbursement. Once you've received your certification, circle back with your loan officer to confirm that you've completed the process. This step needs to be completed within 90 days of the date on which you received your certification. You can request up to $500, but if the cost of the certification is less than that amount, only the amount charged will be reimbursed. An invoice or receipt for the amount paid is required to be attached to the request for reimbursement.
  4. Receive your money! We'll credit the reimbursed amount directly to your Grow Local Business account with 30 days of the date when your request for reimbursement (step #3 above) has been approved.

Anything laid out here not make sense? Send a note to lending@waldenmutual.com and we'll be happy to clarify.

Other Legal Notes

Failure by any eligible participant to satisfy any of the requirements laid out above within the promotion terms will result in ineligibility.

We also reserve the right to exclude any participant from eligibility for the reimbursement for any reason, including suspected fraud, misuse, or if suspicious activities are observed. The bank also reserves the right to stop or make changes to the reimbursement at any time.