Our ESG Strategy
Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy
Our ESG Strategy
Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy
Our organisation wants to deliver value for all stakeholders and we have a vision, a purpose, and a business strategy that sets out how we will do this. Our business strategy includes a commitment to:
“Always act with integrity and transparency to deliver value for all our stakeholders”
And our ESG strategy shows how we plan to do that. Take a look at our short video to find out more.
Our ESG Focus areas
We published our ESG strategy at the start of 2023 and this sets out the key issues or focus areas that we’ve identified as being important to our stakeholders.
These are linked to our business strategy and our core strengths, as well as being underpinned by our high standards of governance which run through all of our business processes.
Our focus areas also link to the United Nation’s sustainable development goals or SDGs.
It’s all summarised here:
Measuring our progress
So that we can track our progress we’ve set out a series of measures and disclosures for each of our key issues and we’ve promised to publish our progress against these annually. Our commitments and our progress against these to the end of 2023 are set out below:
Climate action/risk
Key focus
We aim to minimise the harmful impact of our business on the environment by reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions from our operations and to use less and re-use more.
Measures/Disclosures
- Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% from 31 December 2021 to 31 December 2025
Progress in 2023: We made good progress towards our 2025 target, reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions by 29% against the previous year - Compliance with the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (‘TCFD’) requirements and related PRA regulations/Listing Rules
Progress in 2023: We continue to make Climate-related financial disclosures in line with the recommendations of the TCFD, latest disclosures are within our 2023 ARA
Customer trust
Key focus
Build the trust of our customers through the way we treat them, by enhancing their experience, achieving high standards of customer service excellence and through the outcomes we enable for them.
Measures/Disclosures
- Accreditation with the Government backed Customer Service Excellence quality mark
Progress in 2023: We maintained the CSE mark for the eleventh consecutive year, improving our rating in two assessment areas (STBG wins Customer Service Excellence Award for 11th year running) - Feefo Trusted Awards
Progress in 2023: We were awarded Feefo’s Ten Years of Excellence Award in addition to Platinum and Gold Trusted Awards (Secure Trust Bank Group receives Feefo's 10 Years of Excellence Award 2024) - Awards from Moneyfacts
Progress in 2023: We won Best Notice Account Provider and were highly commended as Best Bank Savings Provider - HM Government Cyber Essentials Plus certificate
Progress in 2023: We maintained the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Key focus
Our vision is to be a successful inclusive business where all our people feel respected, can confidently be themselves and fulfil their potential.
Measures/Disclosures
- Maintaining/improving Great Place to Work® rankings for large companies, women and wellbeing
Progress made in 2023: We improved our position in all Great Place to Work listings (large companies) - HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter published targets
Progress made in 2023: Progress against our phase 1 targets and our phase 2 targets are published on our website (Women in Finance Charter) - Annual Gender Pay Gap reporting
Progress made in 2023: Our Gender Pay Gap figures and the key actions we are taking are published annually on our website (Gender Pay Gap 2023) - Maintaining/improving our Employer Network for Equality and Inclusion (‘ENEI’) TIDE Mark
Progress made in 2023: We maintained our Silver Tide standard, improving our underlying score. We were also recognised at ENEI’s annual Inclusivity Excellence Awards (Secure Trust Bank Group wins silver for equity, diversity and inclusion) - Maintaining our Disability Confident accreditation
Progress made in 2023: We remain a Disability Confident Employer (level 2)
Education and skills
Key focus
Help all our colleagues through a wide range of skills and development opportunities to build their specialisations, increase their confidence, plan their career progression and make it happen.
Measures/Disclosures
- Maintaining/ improving Great Place to Work® scores for career development
Progress made in 2023: Independently gathered feedback shows our employees continue to rate us highly for career development
Communities and charities
Key focus
Make a positive contribution to the communities in which we work and conduct our business.
Measures/Disclosures
- Bi-annual report on supplier payment period in days
Progress made in 2023: We report this bi-annually to Companies House - Annual modern slavery statement setting out steps taken to eradicate modern slavery in our businesses and
supply chains
Progress made in 2023: Our Modern Slavery statement is updated annually and published on our website (Modern Slavery Statement) - Total charities supported and annual fundraising for charity by colleagues and matched by the Group £-for-£
Progress made in 2023: Details of our charitable work are published in our Annual Report and Accounts (Reports and Accounts). In 2023 we raised nearly £100,000 for 12 charities and staff donated nearly 1,200 hours volunteering for good causes
There’s more about our ESG strategy and how we are delivering value for all of our stakeholders in our 2023 Annual Report and Accounts.