Sustaining Our Island Home
2025 Impact Report
From Mauka to Makai
At Bank of Hawaiʻi, we believe that our success and the well-being of our island home are inseparable. As a leading financial institution deeply rooted in the local communities we serve, we embrace our kuleana (our responsibility) to help shape a stronger, more resilient future for generations to come. This report shares the progress we made in 2025 across the three pillars that guide our work: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and strong governance. From supporting the advancement of renewable energy, expanding financial inclusion, and upholding the highest standards of integrity, we remain dedicated to building lasting prosperity for the people and communities of Hawaiʻi and the West Pacific. As we reflect on how far we’ve come, we remain focused on the work ahead toward a more sustainable tomorrow.
Message from the President and CEO
“We take pride in helping our customers and employees build better, more sustainable lives, and I look forward to what we will accomplish toward shaping a brighter future for our islands.”
– James C. Polk
President and CEO, Bank of Hawaiʻi
Environmental Stewardship
Mauka to Makai
Mountain to ocean
Hahai no ka ua i ka ululāʻau.
Rain always follows the forest.
The rains are attracted to forest trees. Knowing this,
Hawaiians hewed only the trees that were needed.
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau No. 405
Long before modern science described the relationship between forests and rainfall, Native Hawaiians understood a fundamental truth: the health of the land depends on the care we give it. When we protect the systems that sustain life—the forests, the watersheds, the natural balance of our islands, from mauka (inland) to makai (ocean), they continue to provide for us in return. But when those systems are neglected, the consequences ripple far beyond the trees.
At Bank of Hawaiʻi, this wisdom guides how we think about environmental stewardship. Every investment in renewable energy, every branch designed for greater efficiency, every step we take to reduce our footprint is rooted in the same understanding: that our actions today shape the world our keiki will inherit. Just as the rain follows the forest, the resilience of our island home follows the choices we make to care for it—not only when urgency demands it, but in the steady, deliberate work of every day.
Our People
Kākou
We (inclusive, three or more)
E ala! E alu! E kui lima!
Up! Together! Join hands!
A call to come together to tackle a given task.
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau No. 258
Just as the ahupuaʻa thrived because everyone contributed, it takes all of us together—kākou—to strengthen the communities we serve. Our people are the heart of Bank of Hawaiʻi and the collective force that shapes who we are and how we show up every day for our customers and neighbors. Our strength has always been rooted in the talent, dedication and aloha of our team members, who embrace laulima (many hands working together toward a shared purpose) as the guiding principle behind everything we do. In 2025, we deepened our commitment to cultivating a workplace where every team member feels valued, supported, and inspired to grow by investing in new learning tools, expanding employee programs, and continuing to build a culture of belonging, connection, and shared success.
Our Community
Kaiāulu
Community, neighborhood, village
Pūpūkāhi i holomua.
Unite in order to progress.
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau No. 2758
Much like the ahupuaʻa, where the strength of the community depended on everyone, at Bank of Hawaiʻi, we know that who we are as an institution is inextricably linked to the vitality of our communities. Across Hawaiʻi and the West Pacific, we remain steadfast in our commitment to showing up—with resources, with intention, and with heart—for the people and organizations doing essential work to build a more equitable, resilient future. In 2025, we fostered stronger partnerships with local nonprofits, expanded our volunteer footprint, and invested meaningfully in programs that address critical needs including housing, education, financial empowerment, and disaster recovery.
Strong Governance
Pono
Goodness, uprightness, morality, excellence, well-being, prosperity, welfare, equity, duty, just, virtuous, in perfect order, accurate, correct, necessary
Kūlia i ka nuʻu.
Strive to reach the highest.
Motto of Queen Kapiʻolani
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau No. 1913
In its literal sense, kūlia means “to try” or “to strive,” while nuʻu carries the sense of a height, summit, or uppermost point. Yet in Hawaiian usage, the ʻōlelo noʻeau above, which was the motto of Queen Kapiʻolani, reaches beyond worldly ambition—it is a call to pursue one’s highest standard of conduct, service, excellence, and kuleana. That aspiration is inseparable from the value of pono, which speaks to the deep bond between knowing what is right and accepting the responsibility to act on that knowledge. Together, these principles call upon leaders to govern with justice, accountability, and genuine respect for those they serve. At Bank of Hawaiʻi, pono anchors our approach to corporate governance, guiding how we safeguard the trust of our customers, employees, shareholders, and communities while positioning the organization for enduring success.
2025 Impact Report
Past Reports
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