WINTER HAVEN, Fla., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SouthState Bank has released its sixth Corporate Stewardship Report, highlighting the bank’s commitment to its communities, colleagues, corporate stewardship and the environment.
The report highlights a milestone year marked by the successful completion of a merger with Independent Financial, as SouthState welcomed new team members and customers in Texas and Colorado, as well as expanded into Tennessee, with commercial and middle market banking teams serving the Nashville market.
“Each year, this report reflects our commitment to transparency and outlines the initiatives that strengthen the communities we serve, support the growth and well-being of our team members, and reinforce our dedication to sound governance,” said LeDon Jones, director of Corporate Stewardship. “These efforts demonstrate how our culture continues to drive meaningful progress and position our company for long-term success.”
Highlights of the 2026 CS report include:
Commitment to Community
- Made $2.57 billion in CRA-eligible loans.
- Recorded 22,900 employee volunteer hours with 1,300 different organizations.
- Extended $792 million in community development loans.
- Invested $348 million to foster economic development and affordable housing projects.
- Provided $9.3 million in down payment assistance to 506 customers
Commitment to Colleagues
- Provided $197,000 in financial assistance to 101 team members through The Sunshine Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization funded by bank and employee contributions, to assist employees with unexpected financial hardships.
- Continued the ReMARKable Leader program, an immersive 9-month program designed to cultivate internal high-potential leaders to take the next step in their career development. To date, 78 of our team members have graduated from the program, and they continue to contribute in new and unique ways to our Company.
Commitment to Corporate Stewardship
- Maintained a tenured and diverse board of directors. Sixty percent of the Board has CEO-level experience, and 27 percent have senior executive experience at financial institutions.
- Maintained a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate, with 13.43 percent Black or African American and 9.72 percent Hispanic/Latino team members.
- Continued an “Infoship” program, a virtual program that exposes college students to diverse careers in banking, facilitated by SouthState senior leaders.
Commitment to Environmental Resourcefulness
Ongoing investment in technology enables customers and team members to access digital solutions for their needs. With 48 percent of all statements distributed as eStatements, the bank’s reduced environmental impact includes the following highlights:
- 1.7 million gallons of water saved
- 1.13 million pounds of CO2 emissions saved
- 90,100 pounds of solid waste reduction
- 30.1 acres of forest saved
SouthState’s Corporate Stewardship Report and more information are available on the bank’s Corporate Stewardship page.
SouthState Corporation (NYSE: SSB) is a financial services company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida. SouthState Bank, N.A., the company’s nationally chartered bank subsidiary, provides consumer, commercial, mortgage and wealth management solutions to more than 1.8 million customers throughout Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee. The bank also serves clients nationwide through its correspondent banking division. Additional information is available at SouthStateBank.com.
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SOURCE SouthState Bank N.A.
