Do you think banks should behave ethically?
The Customer Union for Ethical Banking is a new type of organisation. We're a union - but for customers rather than employees. We grew out of the Save Our Bank campaign, which was set up buy a group of customers of the Co-operative Bank in the United Kingdom. After 2013 the bank was taken over by private investors, including a group of US hedge funds. We were worried that its pioneering approach to ethical banking would get lost in the rush by the new owners - first to stop losing money and then to sell it on at a profit.
We've been very successful at keeping the bank to its promise not only to keep its world-leading ethical policy, but to deliver on it too. That's why we've set up as an independent customer union, itself a cooperative with a very small shareholding in the bank, over 1,200 fee paying members, and some 10,000 supporters. We think it's the first organisation of its type anywhere in the world.
If you're a customer of the Co-opereative Bank you can join us here - it only costs £12 a year.
If you're not a customer, or you just want to be kept informed, you can join our supporters' list here - and if you like you can also make a donation.
Thanks for reading
Customer Union team
