UnityTrust Bank
Lending customers at Unity Trust Bank get support from specialist relationship managers
Unity Trust Bank supports organisations that address social, economic and environmental needs
Joshua Meek
Unity Trust Bank is an ethical bank that has been serving socially minded businesses and organisations across the UK since 1984. It was born out of a vision by the trade union movement to create a bank that would serve the common good. Unity offers a range of banking services, including current and savings accounts, and has offices in Birmingham, London and Manchester. In 2023 Unity surpassed a milestone £1 billion in responsible lending and, in 2024, having celebrated its 40th anniversary, the bank was honoured to have been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development. The award recognises Unity’s work supporting customers that address social, economic and environmental needs alongside the bank’s own commitment to delivering responsible business practices. Joshua Meek, Chief Impact Officer, says: “Unity became fully independent in 2015 and our ‘double bottom line’ strategy is to create positive social impact as well as sustainable returns. “Through excellent customer service and responsible financing, we enable organisations such as SMEs, social enterprises, housing associations, charities, co-operatives and frontline healthcare providers to grow and improve the lives of local communities. Our work, and this
recognition from the King’s Award, demonstrates how financing can be used for good.” Serving the common good At Unity, every borrower is supported by a dedicated Relationship Manager who has sectoral expertise and knowledge, and all customers have access to a dedicated UK-based call centre. Aligning its lending practices to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and impact investment standards, such as the ABCs of Enterprise Impact, every loan is reviewed to understand the quantifiable impact it will have on people’s lives as well as the reduction of negative risks. Unity also assesses whether its lending supports those who need it most: in 2023, over 45% of its financing went to areas of high deprivation. This means that when customers choose to save with Unity, they can be confident that their money will be used to make a positive difference to society. Purpose-led Unity’s values are also at the heart of everything it does. Unity was the first UK bank to be accredited as a Real Living Wage employer in 2013, the first to achieve the Fair Tax Mark in 2014 and the first bank to purchase HACT’s ‘retrofit credits’ to support UK social housing decarbonisation.
Its employee-led Unity & Me initiatives make Unity a great place to work. These initiatives support staff, customers and communities through five key pillars: mental health and wellbeing, greener environmental practices, diversity and inclusion, volunteering and charitable donations. Unity is also a Disability Confident employer, a signatory of the ‘Women in Finance’ charter, holder of the Investors in People Gold standard and a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV). Committed to developing the way it measures and manages its own contributions to people and planet, the bank joined the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) in 2023 and released its first financed emissions reporting, strengthening its commitment to understanding its role in supporting customers facing the impacts of climate change. Joshua adds: “Unity’s vision is to become the bank of choice for all socially-minded organisations in the UK and we look forward to continuing to develop our social purpose as well as our financial stability over the next 40 years.” UNITYTRUST BANK Four Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2JB Tel: 0345 140 1000 • us@unity.co.uk • unity.co.uk
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