News / Triodos Bank
Prestigious award for Bristol-based bank
The boss of Triodos Bank says winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise comes at a particularly poignant time.
The firm, which has its national head office on Deanery Road, has been operating in the UK for 25 years and CEO Dr Bevis Watts says it has a key role to play in changing the face of finance when work gets underway to recover the economy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Triodos has been recognised for demonstrating a strong sustainability ethos and leading the way in creating a more sustainable approach within the banking sector. It secured the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development, which is awarded for commercially successful products, services and management that benefit the environment, society and the economy.
Watts said: “The award is particularly poignant as 2020 marks 25 years of Triodos operating in the UK. Over these years, we have stayed true to our mission to finance change by lending solely to sustainable organisations – organic farms, renewable energy projects, social housing, and so much more.
“However, we’re also working to change finance, by demonstrating to other banks that there is a fairer and more sustainable way to do business.”
Bevis Watts says the award comes at a particularly poignant time – photo courtesy of Triodos Bank
He continued: “This award coincides with a significant moment in time for us all, including the financial sector, given the challenges of Covid-19. We hope that as society recovers, the learnings from this crisis provide an opportunity for all banks to refocus on their role in society and consider the long-term welfare of customers in all their investment decisions. Triodos will continue to play a key role in encouraging this transition.
“The heightened awareness around the climate emergency and the social and welfare inequality so evident in the current Covid-19 crisis has made our work and the need to fundamentally change banking more relevant than ever before.”
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Read more: Triodos calls for radical change in banking industry amid climate emergency
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In 2020, just 19 awards for Sustainable Development category were issued around the country, with 220 total awards bestowed across all categories.
Triodos was praised by the judging panel for a clear focus to use money consciously as a catalyst for sustainable change and demonstrating that you can marry a more sustainable approach to finance with commercial success.
The bank previously won the award in 2004 and 2010, but since then its UK operations have scaled up significantly, with an increase in lending to more than £900m and growth in customers from 20,000 to 60,000.
Main photo courtesy of Triodos Bank
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