Could you tell us what your role is at Triodos and a bit about your career background.

As the Customer Journey Lead at Triodos Bank UK, I manage the product management team and oversee all products that Triodos looks after. No two days are the same, which I find both interesting and challenging.

Overall, throughout my career I’ve had quite a breadth of experience. I started working in a high street branch for a big bank when I left school, then worked my way up, gaining a degree and several qualifications years later. I made my way into head office and product management and development, which is where I settled. Over this time, I lived & worked in the Channel Islands and then New Zealand for 10 years and gained experience in both a retail and a challenger bank. I’ve now been at Triodos Bank UK for 9 years and have really enjoyed seeing the organisation grow; I think there were 70 people here when I started, and now there are three or four times that!

What inspired you to pursue a career at Triodos?

Upon returning to the UK, I wanted to stay in the industry. I felt that working for Triodos would make me feel proud to still say I worked in a bank, particularly following the financial crisis. Seeing what Triodos was trying to achieve really aligned with my values.

How does the work you do within your role/department contribute to the mission of Triodos and what we are trying to achieve?

Our role is at the very heart of it because, ultimately, we’re responsible for bringing the products to market that help create a meaningful impact. From Savings products, where customers can see the impact of their savings through the businesses we lend to, to Lending products that facilitate the growth of our Business customers, and our Impact Investments and crowdfunding that enable customers to invest indirectly or directly in mission-aligned companies.

It’s really about bringing Triodos Bank’s mission to life and delivering the products and services that meet customers’ needs and deliver positive impact.

What makes Triodos Bank different to other companies you have worked for?

The key distinction lies in the underlying principles behind the business. Most other companies I have worked for were large corporate entities driven predominantly by profit and delivering returns to shareholders. In contrast, Triodos Bank places its mission with a clear emphasis on people, planet, and then profit.

While profitability is essential for sustainability and impact delivery, it’s not the primary goal of the organisation. Triodos is dedicated to making a difference, transforming finance, taking a stand, and challenging the market and industry norms. The unique selling proposition here isn’t solely about maximising returns for savings or shareholders; it's about creating meaningful impact.

Ideally, we aim to deliver impact while providing fair returns and value to both customers and shareholders.

What do the Triodos values of responsibility, freedom and equity mean to you? And how do they influence your role at Triodos?

I think we've all got a responsibility as customers and as consumers to drive change and get the outside world on board with it too. In terms of my role, it’s about delivering impact, while delivering good customer outcomes and fair value.

Equity for me is about fairness and ensuring we are being fair to our customers and Co-workers, but also more broadly to each other. At Triodos Bank, we consider how we can be a voice and strengthen other voices to promote equity in society, which my role plays a part in. We also talk about everyone having a right to and access to financial services, which is really important.

What do you see in the future for you and for Triodos?

I firmly believe it’s Triodos Banks’ time, considering the pressing need and desire for change in the financial services sector. The sector holds significant influence, and I hope the rest of the industry is beginning to recognise and respond to this call for change.

There are abundant opportunities to be a vocal advocate, challenging the status quo and expanding our customer base. This growth enables us to amplify our impact, refine our product line-up, particularly in the business sector, and enhance our overall offering.

The goal is to strengthen our proposition, making it more appealing to business customers and improving our ability to serve their needs. This can enhance our lending capabilities, allowing us to be more comprehensive in catering to business customers.

Looking ahead, I’d like to play a part in this journey and continue to drive change in our proposition and product offering to contribute to Triodos Bank’s development and impact.