Business alignment
Nationwide are choosing to address issues such as finance and housing that are closely linked with their business model. They are addressing financial inclusion by offering simple, transparent products, supporting customers when they are in debt and providing people with skills and knowledge to manage their finances to avoid financial difficulty. They are also addressing housing issues by supporting people who are homeless or experiencing housing problems
Working in partnership
Nationwide are committed to a number of long-standing partnerships, demonstrating mutual learning and respect. Examples include Nationwide’s partnerships with both the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) and Shelter.
MoneyActive is an innovative joint venture between CAB and Nationwide It was designed to help people manage their finances proactively supporting CAB’s strategic goal of preventing serious financial difficulty. It is Nationwide’s biggest community investment project running to £3 million over three years. Nationwide is providing the funding and support that is helping CAB to recruit and train 1,300 volunteers to deliver independent and impartial financial education within communities across the UK. Launched in 2009, the programme has already recruited and trained more than 1,400 volunteers and exceeded its delivery targets of reaching 100,000 people by reaching 152,000 people. Citizens Advice is offering the education through its bureau network and supports the initiative through a dedicated project team, training volunteers and producing new resources for the running and marketing of MoneyActive.
Nationwide’s partnership with the housing and homelessness charity Shelter focuses on Bristol, Bournemouth and Hertfordshire providing funding for services that help people facing a range of housing problems. Bristol’s Housing Support Service offers free support services for homeless families making the transition into a settled home and community. It also helps children and young people overcome the disruption and trauma that homelessness causes. Two years into the programme, 377 families, 281 adults and 323 children have been supported in Bristol alone. Each year Nationwide organise a Shoebox appeal and over the last 3 years 1,148 shoeboxes full of gifts and essential items have been donated by employees across Nationwide’s admin centres to benefit those who aren’t lucky enough to receive presents at Christmas. To bring to life the partnership for customers, Nationwide used a cause-related marketing campaign with online life assurance quotes. These quotes doubled during the first week of Nationwide’s cause related marketing campaign, raising £20,000 for Shelter. The national Strip4Shelter fundraising day raised over £27k and whilst aligned with the commercial marketing football sponsorship, raised the charity’s profile with the general public. Other examples of the strength of the relationship is that when Shelter wanted to develop and Equality & Diversity policy, they approached Nationwide to discuss what policy they have in place and Nationwide sought Shelter’s advice to help them develop an impartial and award winning First Time Buyers guide.
Engaging employees
Nationwide holds quarterly Corporate Responsibility Charity Days, an opportunity for employees to get involved and show their support. The days are used as a vehicle to raise funds and awareness among employees,
In 2010, employees and members raised a massive £1 million for good causes – this was as a result of individual employee fundraising initiatives, appeals in support of international disasters and four CR Days including the Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning for Macmillan, their long-term employee charity of 18 years.
Nationwide’s payroll giving scheme enables employees to give tax free from their salary to their favourite charity/s. They can donate any amount from £1 upwards and the full amount will go to their chosen causes with Nationwide paying for all the administration costs. They also engage their employees with match-funding. A Community Champions programme was launched in 2011 where 100 employees working in different business areas across the organisation will promote corporate responsibility with a wider reach and to drive local level community activity.
In 2010 Nationwide launched their employee volunteering programme giving all employees up to two days paid leave a year to volunteer in the community. In the first 7 months after launch in October 2010 employees contributed 1285 hours to communities across the UK through volunteering their time and talents. To boost volunteering further Nationwide have invested in a new volunteering platform with LeapCR which highlights team-based volunteering opportunities, options for individuals, and allows employees to organise social campaigns and events. Over 25% of their employees have activated their registration in the last month and are now look for volunteering opportunities.
Supporting and involving customers
As a mutual, Nationwide Building Society have no shareholders to worry about and can focus on their customers. Nationwide recognises that having customers who understand how to manage their finances reduces the risk to both customers and the company. Nationwide has produced a series of interactive games and tools for customers (and the public) to use with children in www.nationwideeducation.co.uk to build financial capability from a young age. Whilst other financial service providers offer similar tools, Nationwide Education has activities for all ages (from 2 years old up) and uniquely, allows young people to gain a BTEC qualification on Money and Finance Skills.
The decision to commit 1% of pre-tax profits to supporting disadvantaged communities comes from their members. It is their mandate that Nationwide seeks to achieve as much impact as possible.
The commitment by members is reinforced through cause-related marketing campaigns, Charity Days and the AGM vote. Since 2006 the number of votes received from members at Nationwide’s AGM has generated a donation to charity. In 2011 voters were given the opportunity to select from a list of three charities or have their donation split equally between all three.
For more information on Nationwide’s approach to community investment, please visit http://your.nationwide.co.uk/Pages/your-nationwide-home.aspx
