Sustainability at Arbuthnot Latham
We continue to embed sustainable practices across the bank and remain committed to ensuring our business activities have a positive impact not just for clients and shareholders, but also for colleagues, community, and the environment.
Reciprocity and stability
Two of our key business principles, reciprocity and stability, rely on recognising our own responsibility to make a positive societal impact.
Climate change is an important topic for clients and investors alike. In parallel, inclusive growth and the impact organisations have on society are increasingly a focus, and more than ever, organisations are being held accountable for their impact. We focus on how we can improve to build a future that delivers growth, sustainability, and inclusion.
Our responsible business initiatives enable us to monitor and measure our impact by considering the impact of our practices and outputs across five pillars: governance, clients, colleagues, community, and environment.
Our pillars
- Robust governance
- Putting our clients first
- Supporting our colleagues
- Investing in our community
- Awareness for our environment
Promoting transparency, integrity, and accountability
The bank operates to high standards of corporate accountability with an effective Board and Board committees. This, together with the role and overall holding of Sir Henry Angest, the ultimate majority shareholder, and compliance with PRA and FCA regulations and with those of the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market and the Aquis Exchange, is fundamental to our success as a business.
Human right commitments
The bank is committed to operating in an ethical manner, and ensuring the relationships we have with all our stakeholders adhere to high standards. These are reflected in both our Anti-Modern Slavery Policy and in our Supplier Code of Conduct. We are committed to finding and reducing the risk of slavery or human trafficking in every part of our supply chain.
Prioritising clients' relationships and their best interests
We take the time to understand what is important to our clients so that we can be confident that we are working in their best interests, for business, for family, for life. Being a relationship-led bank, every single one of our clients has a dedicated relationship manager there to guide and support them. This is supported by our strong net promoter scores (NPS).
Our initiatives:
- Consumer Duty implementation
- Client support
- Vulnerable client guidance
- Complaints handling
- Fraud protection
- Client data protection
- Complaints handling policy
Creating an outstanding culture and workplace for our colleagues
Arbuthnot Latham prides itself on encouraging colleagues to reach their full potential within a supportive and progressive environment, our high engagement scores are a testament to this. In the most recent employee engagement survey, conducted in November 2023, our overall engagement score maintained a very high-level of 83%. 84% of employees would recommend Arbuthnot Latham as a great place to work.
Our initiatives:
- Colleague wellbeing strategy
- Early careers program with Young Professionals
- Colleague training and development
- Mentoring schemes
- Colleague benefits
- Colleague recognition event: Arbuthnot Achievers
- Colleague networking forum: Connect
Committed to driving positive community impact and connecting the dots between charities and social initiatives
Our corporate responsibility strategy expanded in 2023 with the formation of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Steering Committee to ensure our CSR activities are focused on the bank’s goals.
Our initiatives:
- Volunteering and philanthropy
- £4£ and Payroll giving
In 2024 we continued to work with The Felix Project , a charity fighting hunger and food waste, and with Surrey Docks Farm, a working city farm in the heart of London, providing opportunities for local communities to learn about farming and food production.
We also partner with educatio nal charity The Switch, offering our colleagues the opportunity to volunteer in schools in Tower Hamlets. Volunteers here have helped with CV-writing workshops, financial education workshops, and interview preparation.
Reducing our environmental impact and improving environmental performance
We are committed to achieving net-zero by 2050 and effective management of our impact is an important part of our strategy.
We have implemented an Environmental Management policy which sets out our high-level approach to managing environmental issues and provides requirements to help the bank to achieve its commitments. Enhancing transparency within our own supply chains is part of our mission to work closely with our third-party relationships. As a minimum, we expect our suppliers to provide evidence towards their environmental status, where relevant and appropriate.
The bank adopts a favourable stance towards a low carbon economy and lending propositions that have a neutral or positive impact on the environment/climate. The bank will also consider the impact on public perception and potential impact on continuing demand for clients’ products and services, as well as any impact on its underlying security. These factors are assessed as part of the credit application process and at least once a year through the annual review process.
Our London headquarters relocation in 2024 presented us with the opportunity to review and reduce our environmental impact. Scope 1 and 2 emissions are managed through energy efficiency and renewable energy sourcing.
We are also reviewing our waste management; we currently send zero waste to landfill and will be making efforts to further reduce the waste we produce. Our new London premises is BREEAM rated excellent.
Helping our clients go further
At Arbuthnot Latham, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the complex world of sustainable investing. Our experienced wealth managers can help you understand these and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) and socially responsible investment terms and develop a personalised investment strategy that aligns with your values and goals.
Sustainable Model Portfolio Service
The purpose of our Sustainable Model Portfolio Service is to provide an investment portfolio for FCA authorised financial advisers to select for their retail clients. It is suitable for investors who wish to invest globally, with a preference to incorporate a focus on environmental and social factors.
If you are considering a sustainable investment solution for your client we can help you. Our experienced wealth managers can help you understand these and other ESG and socially responsible investment terms and develop a personalised investment strategy that aligns with your values and goals.
Find out more about our sustainable portfolio.