Better Health for All

Southern First Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company whose core business involves providing banking and financial services such as deposits and loans. These primary goods and services do not have a direct positive or negative impact on health outcomes, nor do they carry health risks requiring disclosure or accessibility considerations. The company does not engage in health research, clinical trials, or collect health-related data.

While the company provides internal mental health support (12 free counseling sessions per year with 16.5% usage) and preventative health resources for its associates, these are considered employee benefits and fall outside the scope of the 'Better Health for All' value, which explicitly excludes workplace safety and worker rights. The company's community investments, including affordable housing and community development loans, address financial and housing equity rather than health equity.

Honest & Fair Business

The company incurred a $250,000 FINRA fine in July 2025 for violations including failure to establish and enforce policies for Regulation Best Interest, inaccurate net capital calculations, filing at least 29 inaccurate FOCUS reports, and failing to supervise and report approximately 5,000 transactions.

A formal whistleblower policy, effective January 1, 2021, protects against retaliation, allows confidential and anonymous reporting to the Audit Committee Chairman or internal auditor, and requires the Internal Auditor to log and track complaints, providing periodic summaries to the Audit Committee. The policy also includes enhanced protection provisions and incentives for reporting anti-money laundering violations. The company has not had any financial restatements recently, only minor disclosure tweaks. 85% of the Board of Directors are independent. The company has an Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, an OFAC compliance officer, and actively checks high-risk OFAC areas using updated software. Approximately 50% of ethical claims are independently verified through a third-party risk management program for external service providers and an audit of internal controls over financial reporting by an independent registered public accounting firm.

Kind to Animals

Southern First Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company providing financial services. Its core business model does not involve activities related to animal testing, animal-derived products, animal agriculture, or direct impact on wildlife habitats. Therefore, all KPIs under the 'Kind to Animals' value are not applicable to its operations, and no relevant evidence was found in the provided articles to score these metrics. While the company participated in an event featuring adoptable dogs from Greenville County Animal Care,

this activity does not provide measurable data for any of the defined KPIs.

No War, No Weapons

No specific data related to SFST.US's association with arms manufacturing, military contracts, or conflict facilitation was provided in the articles. The company's 2023 ESG report () explicitly states that it does not contain data relevant to the 'No War, No Weapons' metrics.

discusses the creation of a new international financial institution for defense spending but does not provide any company-specific data for SFST.US. Therefore, all KPIs for this value are omitted due to a lack of evidence.

Planet-Friendly Business

The provided articles do not contain specific, quantifiable data points that align with the defined KPIs for Planet-Friendly Business. While some articles mention general sustainability efforts and reductions from specific initiatives, such as saving 39,037 pounds of carbon emissions and 48,970 gallons of water in 2024 through e-signature technology, these figures represent reductions from particular actions rather than total company-wide metrics required by the rubric (e.g., total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, total water use per revenue, or overall waste diversion rate).

Information regarding the percentage of renewable energy used, green building certifications, science-based targets, or climate-related financial disclosures (like TCFD alignment or climate scenario analysis) is also absent. Therefore, no KPIs can be scored based on the evidence provided.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

The company has formal partnerships with local community groups, including CommunityWorks and Habitat for Humanity, and engages with various local non-profits for down payment assistance programs.

In 2023, the company invested $587,000 in the community through monetary donations, sponsorships, and direct investments, and in 2024, this figure was $524,000. The company's consolidated assets were approximately $4 billion in 2023 and $4.3 billion in 2025. There are no reported cultural appropriation incidents. A Fair Lending and Community Reinvestment Act Strategy Committee oversees related strategies. The company had 297 full-time equivalent employees as of December 31, 2024. Formal grievance mechanisms include an Ethics Policy, No Retaliation Policy, and Whistleblower Policy. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council includes team members across departments. In 2023, $90,000 was allocated to event and sponsorships within minority communities, and in 2024, this was $78,000. The company invested $17 million in affordable housing initiatives, $12 million in economic development initiatives, $654,000 in community service initiatives, and $6 million in revitalization initiatives in 2023. In 2024, these investments were $15 million, $2 million, $232,000, and $7 million respectively. The company originated $85 million in community development loans in 2023 and $69 million in 2024. In 2023, 94% of associates participated in DEI training.

Safe & Smart Tech

Southern First Bancshares, Inc. states it complies with federal and state laws regarding privacy policy disclosure and other banking regulations.

For online banking, the company uses the strongest browser encryption technology available (SSL). Authentication security includes unique User IDs and Passwords, with account lock-out and timeout features for unsuccessful login attempts, and multi-factor authentication is mentioned as a security measure. However, federal law allows consumers to limit only some, but not all, data sharing.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

The company has implemented several waste reduction initiatives. Its 2022 ESG report notes paper reduction efforts that saved 826 trees and established electronic recycling partnerships.

The 2023 report further details a commitment to sustainable product purchases, including compostable coffee pods, paper plates, and cups, and mentions quantified reductions in water bottle usage and e-waste recycling, though specific percentages are not provided. The new headquarters also incorporates sustainable design elements.