Note:
This area of our website offers information about some of the things we do as a responsible business. If you need more practical support, please see our dedicated support services for challenging times.
Vulnerability, access and inclusion team
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires all financial service organisations to recognise and understand the impact that health, life events, financial resilience and financial capability may have on people’s financial needs and to run their business in a way that ensures these customers do not receive worse outcomes than ‘average’ customers.
At Nationwide, we recognise that any of these things could happen to any of our members at any time – something that the coronavirus pandemic brought sharply into focus. We are committed to ensuring that our members feel supported through challenging times over a lifetime of membership.
Our dedicated vulnerability, access and inclusion team shapes and steers the Society’s vision and strategic agenda on vulnerability. But all our colleagues, both member-facing and in head office, know that if their role ultimately impacts the member, it’s their responsibility to ensure that what they do works for the full range of needs that may be present in their member base.
A network of champions from all areas of the business are working to achieve alignment to the FCA’s vulnerability guidance and ensuring that consideration of vulnerability, access and inclusion is embedded throughout our business. Our approach follows that of the FCA, looking across the whole of the product life cycle.
Training our staff on vulnerability
Supporting those in vulnerable circumstances begins with supporting our staff to equip them with the skills and training they need. All our colleagues have had e-learning on what vulnerability is and what the expectations on our business are in relation to it.
Additionally, in 2020, all member-facing colleagues completed in-depth e-learning, supported by team activities to consolidate learning, on how to identify potential vulnerability, discuss it sensitively with the member and identify ways they can help meet those different or additional needs that they uncover.
Hearts and minds campaign
Increasing the skills and capability of our colleagues in respect of vulnerability, access and inclusion does not stop at training. In 2021, we launched an ongoing internal campaign to further increase awareness and understanding. The aim of the hearts and minds campaign is to ensure all our team understand that our role in protecting vulnerable customers from financial harm is more than just a regulatory requirement; it is a duty of care, which strikes at the heart of our brand and values. The campaign also aims to ensure all colleagues understand that meeting members’ needs is the responsibility of everyone, not just those in the front line.
The campaign runs across different channels for maximum impact. Our approach includes:
- experiential learning
- sharing member stories
- external speakers, including those with lived experience
- panel events
- leadership development programmes
- celebrating success and sharing learnings from where things have not gone so well.
This is a Society wide initiative which targets colleagues at all levels to exert change. The campaign is instrumental in helping us to build a Society that works for all our members, embracing their individual needs.
Last updated July 2022