Our purpose

We champion potential, helping people, families, and businesses to thrive.

Three people chatting at desk

Why work with purpose?

We know our success depends on helping our customers succeed.

By championing potential we can make a meaningful impact in our customers’ lives, and equip them to play a positive part in the economy and environment.

We’re concentrating on bringing our purpose to life across three initial areas of focus.

This is us

We focus on five values that embody the same energy and ambition as our purpose. These are values designed by our people, for our people, and they guide and inspire us through everything we do.

  • Inclusive

  • Curious

  • Robust

  • Sustainable

  • Ambitious

Inclusive

Creating a more equitable world

By working together to achieve great things with our colleagues, communities, and customers, we can celebrate and respect everyone’s strengths and differences. We’re committed to nurturing a fair and inclusive environment where we all feel we belong.

Living our values

Pam Sheemar’s participation in her local foodbank is just one example of her passion for inclusion, and desire for a more equitable world.

Curious

Challenging the status quo

We experiment and explore with relentless curiosity and broad perspectives. Our colleagues are courageous and creative innovators who try new things.

Living our values

A curious nature is paying off handsomely for Heather Hearn-Poole – and for our customers.

Robust

Adapting in a fast-changing world

We strive to keep our colleagues, customers, and communities safe and secure. We act with integrity and approach risk intelligently to overcome challenges and deliver the best outcomes.

Living our values

Dave Bawcutt’s experience of identity fraud was a valuable reminder about the importance of robust customer protection.

Sustainable

Realising what we can do, now

We care deeply about our impact on people and the planet, acting responsibly for the long-term. We show empathy, build relationships in a digital world and at our customers’ sides throughout their lives.

Living our values

From small changes at home to game-changing projects at work, Alex Tait lives and breathes sustainability – and she’s on a mission to help everyone recognise the part they can play.

Ambitious

Stretching ourselves to develop

We’re all role models for the change we want to see. We prioritise wellbeing and learning for ourselves and others, and set ourselves standards that achieve outstanding results.

Living our values

Kartik Malla has a vision for a better bank, and a better chatbot! He’s doing his bit to make this ambition a reality.

Learning

At its heart, learning – and sharing learning – is about curiosity and being open to the world around us.

Man working at laptop

As an organisation, we never stop learning. We investigate the latest technologies to open new possibilities for our customers. We use our deep wells of data to understand our customers better. And we invite the best of industry in so we can keep improving how we do what we do.

This curiosity extends to our people too, and we make sure they have the tools and the ability to learn in ways that suit them.

Illustration of a piggy bank

We’ve committed to helping 2.5m people improve their financial capability each year

Illustration of stacked books

All our colleagues in frontline jobs are professionally accredited within their first 18 months

Illustration of a signpost

Our CareerSense initiative helps young people aged 13-24 to understand their career choices

Inclusion, learning, and ambition

Read how learning has boosted Bless’ career

Read his story
Portrait of Bless

We’re putting learning into action

We will continue to take a leading role in helping people improve their financial confidence and wellbeing. Read more about why learning is important to us.

Climate

We know that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our planet, and we intend to do our part to lead the transition to a green economy.

We’re a leading lender to the UK renewables sector, and we’re helping shape our customers’ behaviours.

Our banking app now includes a free carbon footprint calculator, while our green mortgage rewards customers buying more energy-efficient homes.

And for thousands of our colleagues, remote-first working means time back and greater flexibility, along with the carbon benefits of cutting out the commute.

Bar chart with bars increasing. Last bar has a sparkle above it

We made our operations carbon net zero during 2020, and we’re working towards climate positive by 2025

Radial chart with percent symbol in the center

We’re aligning our lending and portfolio to the aims of the Paris Agreement, and intend to halve the climate impact of our financing by 2030

Illustration of Earth with purple foot stamped over it

We save at least 25% of spaces on our Entrepreneur Accelerator programme for climate focussed businesses

Sustainable futures

Find out why Taelor and Sherwyn are passionate about sustainability

Read their story
Green plant

We’re prioritising climate change

We are setting out a bold new ambition to be a leading bank in the UK & RoI addressing the climate challenge. Read more about our climate commitment.

Enterprise

We’re already the UK’s biggest bank for enterprise. We’re now working to remove barriers which prevent people and groups from reaching their entrepreneurial potential.

Two people walking down path talking

Our Chief Executive led the Rose Review into Female Entrepreneurship for HM Treasury, making recommendations to address the entrepreneurial gender gap. And with our free Business Builder course and our intensive Entrepreneur Accelerator scheme, we’re helping more people than ever to start and scale-up their businesses.

Our people benefit from our commitments as well, with our three stage Entrepreneurial Development Academy fostering a growth mindset, and the skills to back it up.

Illustration of a till

We’re committed to helping create 50,000 new businesses across the UK by 2023

Purple quote bubble with pound signs inside of bubble. Love heart above quote bubble

We’ll also have supported more than half a million people in considering entrepreneurship as a career by 2023

Illustration of a pink briefcase

Our Dream Bigger initiative picks up the baton from the Rose Review, giving girls aged 16-18 the knowledge, skills and belief to become future entrepreneur

Growing businesses and thriving communities

Read about how Paula works with entrepreneurs

Read her story
Portrait of Paula

We’re driving enterprise

We are the biggest supporter of UK enterprise and offer a wide range of services to those who either want to start a new business or scale-up. Find out more about our enterprise ambition.

Two people talking to each other at tall desk

Our Purpose in action – India Foundation

We’ve been present in India for decades, and we’re a proud supporter of her people, communities and environment.

Our India Foundation shows how we act on our purpose outside of our main customer markets in the UK and Ireland. The foundation provides education to allow people in rural, disenfranchised communities to participate in the global economy. It supports enterprise to preserve traditional crafts in improved working conditions. And its initiatives preserve India’s natural ecology and biodiversity.

These efforts have been recognised by the United Nations, with a Biodiversity Award and World Tourism Award.