31.01.12 / Ethical Bank, Ethical ISA, Ethical Money, Ethical Savings, Move Your Money UK, Transparency / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
There are many of us who try hard to do the right thing. We may buy Fairtrade food, worry about our carbon footprint and recycle our packaging. Yet most of us have not the slightest idea what our money is doing when we aren’t spending it. read more
19.01.12 / Social Enterprise / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Take our short survey to make your voice heard and win a £50 M&S voucher: To gauge the effects of the economic crisis on the third sector, Charity Bank has teamed up with the Charity Technology Trust (CTT) to develop a short survey aimed at the finance teams and directors of charities, social enterprises and other community organisations.
Please take a few minutes to answer the one page survey: http://ctt-news.org/O-AOL/s2.aspx
20.12.11 / Big Society, Charity Loans, Ethical Bank, Ethical ISA, Impact Investing, Social Banking, Social Investment, social impact / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
The social finance sector is discussing constantly how best to measure social impact, but in spite of experimentation with different methodologies, no consensus has yet been reached. Charity Bank has used impact measurement for many years and we are currently refining and embedding our own impact measurement systems. We know that there is no magic formula; in the words of NCVO, “It is impossible for an organisation to measure its impact without being open to some degree of criticism”. read more
17.11.11 / Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise Day / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Today is Social Enterprise Day. For Charity Bank it is the most important day in Global Entrepreneurship Week as it celebrates the success of organisations which are using the principles of business to achieve a common good.
Although the precise definition of a social enterprise is still widely discussed, it is estimated that there are at least 62,000 organisations that fit into this category in the UK alone. Business Link defines social enterprises as “limited companies with a social purpose.” In a speech addressing the sector earlier this year, the Secretary of State expressed his admiration for the way in which social enterprises have bridged “the gap in ideas” between profit-seeking entrepreneurship and “doing good”. read more
07.11.11 / Charity Loans, Investment Readiness Programme, Northern Ireland, Social Enterprise / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Our new, year-long programme offering strategic financial management training to the charity sector has opened its doors in Northern Ireland. The programme was commissioned by Charity Bank and will be delivered by the Ulster Business School in collaboration with Ortus and CIPFA. The first course runs from November 2011 until December 2012. read more
04.11.11 / Ethical Savings, National Ethical Investment Week, Social Banking, Social Investment / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
This week has seen the publication of new guidance on investment for charity trustees from the Charity Commission. The new embodiment of CC14 is entitled Charities and Investment Matters: A guide for trustees and lays out clearly a number of different investment types.
The document provides details and examples of Programme Related Investments (PRIs) and Mixed Motive Investments (MMIs), both of which offer charities the option of investing funds according to their mission rather than simply according to maximum financial return. The language is jargon-free and the messages straightforward. read more
31.10.11 / Ethical Bank, Ethical ISA, Ethical Savings, National Ethical Investment Week / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
The timing of the Occupy London protest, which has coincided with both National Ethical Investment Week and the latest phase of the Greek debt saga, means that money, and the ethics surrounding it, are currently hot topics – both in the media and on the street.
Unsurprisingly, the Guardian has been the most vocal supporter of ethical investment, with an entire “ethical money” section on its website, but there is no doubt that the subject is inching its way further into the mainstream. In the past two weeks, the Financial Times has run a contributed opinion piece on green investing and the Telegraph’s Emma Wall has written an article with the subheading “Ethical investors no longer have to choose between their pocket and their conscience,” completely contradicting the newspaper’s proclamation earlier this year that “ethical investing doesn’t pay.” read more
27.10.11 / Charity Loans, Ethical Bank, Ethical ISA, Ethical Savings, National Ethical Investment Week, Social Banking, Social Enterprise, Social Investment / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Our 2011 ‘Different Journeys’ programme is now complete. It was our most ambitious programme of visits to date, taking the public to see 20 of our borrowers during National Ethical Investment Week.
These visits have enabled us to share directly with our customers and the public the difference that money saved and invested in Charity Bank is making to charities, social enterprises and communities across the UK. read more
27.09.11 / Ethical ISA, Ethical Savings, National Ethical Investment Week / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Are ethical savings really viable? Can you earn a good rate of interest and still save in a way that benefits society and the planet?
If you are expecting to earn 10% on your savings, then the answer is probably no. But then, as dramatically demonstrated by the Icelandic Banking collapse in 2008, excessively high returns may not be sustainable anyway or involve risks you may not be happy to take. read more
20.09.11 / Ethical Money, National Ethical Investment Week, Social Investment / Author: Geoff Burnand / Comments: (0)
Another finding from our recent research is that 67% of donors believe the charities they support should invest their own portfolios ethically. More than half of these people felt that this was “very important” and only 8% of respondents believed that it was not very important or not important at all. read more
06.09.11 / Ethical Money, National Ethical Investment Week, Transparency / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (2)
At Charity Bank, one of our most important principles is that our customers know what we do with their money. We publish details of every loan we make and encourage people to see for themselves the good that their money is doing while it earns them interest. To find out whether information sharing is becoming more widespread within the industry, Charity Bank commissioned research from market research specialists Vision Critical who conducted a poll of more than 2,000 UK adults.
The research revealed that 78% of Britons don’t know how or where their savings are invested. At the same time, the research also showed that more than half (51%) of those surveyed do care where their ISA deposits are invested. read more
17.08.11 / Ethical ISA, Ethical Savings, National Ethical Investment Week, Social Banking / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (1)
Today’s article by Chris Atkins in The Independent illustrates all that is wrong with the traditional investing model used by most of Britain’s High Street Banks. To learn about why RBS is investing in companies that make cluster bombs, which are responsible for killing and maiming thousands of civilians, Chris tried to corner RBS’ chief executive, Stephen Hester, but was denied access to him.
Undeterred, Atkins finally came across a merchant banker at RBS’ headquarters in Bishopsgate and who gave the unapologetic answer to why RBS – as well as Barclays, Lloyds and HSBC – is investing in companies that make these weapons was simple. It all comes down to the fact that makes money. read more
03.08.11 / Ethical Bank, Ethical ISA, Ethical Savings, Transparency / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Tags: Ethical Bank
Charity Bank is much more than an Ethical Bank. Sometimes people think that Charity Bank is ‘too good to be true’:
A bank that is a charity?
A bank that publishes details of every loan it makes?
A bank that only invests in charities, social enterprises and community organisations?
And the latest one:
A six-month surplus of £243k all to be reinvested for charitable purposes?
read more
02.06.11 / Ethical Money, Impact Investing, Social Enterprise, Social Investment, Transparency / Author: Geoff Burnand / Comments: (2)
When making an investment, the rate of financial return will naturally be of interest to an investor. However, with an increasing number of social and environmental issues affecting our communities, the purely traditional approach is no longer acceptable. Geoff Burnand argues that as investors’ knowledge and desire for information increases, charities and mission-driven organisations need to look at their reporting capabilities. read more
20.05.11 / Big Society, Ethical Money, Social Banking, Social Enterprise, Social Investment, Transparency / Author: Mark Howland / Comments: (0)
Charity Bank’s Open Day took place yesterday in the beautiful former church of St Lukes in Old Street, London and was once again facilitated energetically and professionally by Peter Woodward, who kept the conversation flowing between the panels and the delegates.
The theme of this year’s Open Day was Making Good Society and Charity Bank’s part in working to achieve this. The topics covered ranged from Charity Bank’s role in society, how we can work with the Big Society Bank to methodologies for measuring social impact. read more
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