Bank of Ireland UK was included for the first time within the successful accreditation for the Business Working Responsibly Mark. This Mark, which covers indicators across Community, Workplace, Marketplace, Environment and Governance, is an independently audited standard for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.

Bank of Ireland Group affirmed its commitment to be part of the global drive for more responsible banking operations when it signed the United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative Principles for Responsible Banking . The UN Principles help to align the banking sector with the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.Bank of Ireland Group achieved recertification and transition to the latest version of the environmental and energy standards ISO 14001 and ISO 50001. The achievement of these international certifications is part of a broader environmental programme to reduce carbon emissions intensity by 50% by 2030. We continue to integrate climate risks into our strategy planning processes.In Bristol, our long standing relationship with Merchants’ Academy was strengthened, with the launch in July of a 3-year programme of Personal Finance Days to help prepare students for their financial futures. We also run school assemblies to raise awareness of work experience, CVs, job applications and mock interviews and sponsors, and students regularly visit our office at Temple Quay to learn about the wide range of roles in the workplace and understand the qualifications needed.

In Northern Ireland, we proudly support community-based, business and sporting activities, including: Bank of Ireland Money Smarts Challenge, a new secondary school competition that will see students learn essential financial skills; and Sponsorship of Invent 2019, an annual competition run by Catalyst Inc. which attracts more than 100 entrepreneurs and inventors from across Northern Ireland.

In Bristol, our long standing relationship with Merchants’ Academy was strengthened, with the launch in July of a 3-year programme of Personal Finance Days to help prepare students for their financial futures. We also run school assemblies to raise awareness of work experience, CVs, job applications and mock interviews and sponsors, and students regularly visit our office at Temple Quay to learn about the wide range of roles in the workplace and understand the qualifications needed.

In London, we support a number of local community and charity initiatives, including the Lord Mayor’s City Giving Day.