Consumers Credit Union lands Fortune Best Workplaces for Women again

Consumers Credit Union has earned a spot on Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women list for the second straight year, in the small and medium category. The recognition underscores the Lake Forest, Illinois, credit union’s emphasis on inclusion as it continues to grow its membership, assets and branch footprint.

Why it matters: - The Fortune ranking signals external recognition for Consumers Credit Union’s workplace culture, with an emphasis on inclusion and employee satisfaction. - The award can help the Lake Forest-based credit union compete for talent and reinforce its brand with members and employees.

What happened: - Consumers Credit Union announced it was named to the Fortune Best Workplaces for Women list for the second consecutive year. - The credit union earned the recognition in the small and medium category. - The announcement came Oct. 28, 2026. - The credit union is based in Lake Forest, Illinois.

The details: - Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women list highlights organizations that create positive, engaging and inclusive environments. - The list also recognizes workplaces with strong culture and high employee satisfaction. - Sean Rathjen, CCU’s chief executive officer, said the honor reflects the credit union’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. - Rathjen said women helped build the credit union from the beginning and remain a driving force behind its growth and success. - Consumers Credit Union traces its origin to 1910, when a group of immigrant women formed a buying club to help make food more affordable for their families. - That buying club grew into a co-op and later led to the founding of Consumers Credit Union in 1930. - Consumers Credit Union is also Great Place To Work Certified™. - The credit union’s other workplace recognitions include Great Place To Work Certified™ in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. - The credit union was named to Fortune Best Workplaces in Chicago™ in 2024, 2025 and 2026. - The credit union was named to Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance™ in 2024, 2025 and 2026. - The credit union was named to Fortune Best Medium Workplaces™ in 2025 and 2026. - Consumers Credit Union has $4.6 billion in assets. - The credit union serves more than 290,000 members. - Consumers Credit Union is Illinois’ fifth-largest credit union by assets. - The credit union says it has the state’s largest branch network. - More information is available at myconsumers.org.

Between the lines: - The recognition adds to a broader pattern of workplace awards, suggesting Consumers Credit Union is using culture as part of its competitive positioning. - The women-focused honor fits the organization’s origin story, which it links to women-led problem-solving and cooperative growth.

What's next: - Consumers Credit Union is likely to continue leaning on workplace recognition as it recruits employees and grows its member base. - The credit union’s next benchmark will be whether it can extend the run of awards into future Fortune and Great Place To Work lists.

The bottom line: - Consumers Credit Union is pairing business growth with a workplace culture message, and Fortune is again validating that effort.