Charity Bank Wins iiE Overall Outstanding Achiever Award

We’re proud to share that Charity Bank has been named Overall Outstanding Achiever at this year’s Investors in the Environment (iiE) Awards, a recognition of our commitment to sustainability and social impact.

The judges praised our efforts, saying:
“Charity Bank gave another excellent ‘all-round’ performance at this year’s audit and continue to take strides towards achieving its vision of a society which fosters vibrant communities and a healthy planet. Underpinned by an improved system of data collection and analysis, good reductions were achieved across most resource lines over the past year, resulting in a 15% reduction in carbon emissions. The publication of its Net Zero strategy is imminent and the work to reach its targets continues. As a provider of financial services to the charity and VCSE sector, it encourages staff to volunteer for causes close to their heart – this year 346 volunteering days were taken.”

Why this Award Matters

This achievement reflects the progress we’ve made in reducing our environmental impact and embedding sustainability into our operations. Over the past year, we’ve achieved a 15% reduction in carbon emissions, resulting from reductions in electricity and gas use at our offices, and reduced mileage across the team. These improvements were driven by targeted actions across our office and home-based teams.

We also maintained our Green Level Accreditation, the highest iiE certification, and strengthened our approach by joining global initiatives such as the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and the Global Alliance for Banking on Values Climate Commitment. We are also committed to supporting our customers to reduce their own carbon footprint, offering green lending products and tailored finance solutions to enable investment in energy saving improvements.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this award and that we’ve been able to make so much progress on our Net Zero journey with the support of iiE. We’re looking forward to pushing ourselves further with the launch of our Net Zero Strategy in 2026, and supporting others to do the same – we can make a difference if we all play our part.”

Grace England, Charity Bank’s Head of Strategic Initiatives & Innovation

Our Sustainability Journey

Our Net Zero strategy, due for publication shortly, sets out clear targets and actions to reduce emissions across our loan portfolio and our own operations to support a healthier planet. From energy efficiency measures to reducing resource use, we’re focused on continuous improvement. We’ve also launched tools and resources such as our Energy Saving Tool, in partnership with Energy Saving Trust, to help social housing providers consider energy efficiency improvements, cut energy costs and reduce emissions.

Beyond Carbon: Giving Back

For us, sustainability goes beyond environmental impact. It’s about creating positive change for communities too. This year, our team dedicated 346 volunteering days to causes close to their hearts, from supporting local charities to environmental projects. Every hour spent volunteering reflects our vision of a society that fosters vibrant communities and a healthy planet.

Winning this award is a proud moment for Charity Bank, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our incredible team.

Find out more about our commitments and how we’re driving positive change:

• Read our Social Impact Report
• Read our ESG Report