The way money flows into farming shapes what ends up on our plates – and whether it’s good for people, planet and nature.

At Triodos Bank UK, we believe banking – and farming - should work with nature, not against it. For over 25 years, we’ve partnered with innovative food and nature charity, the Soil Association, to accelerate the transition to a food system that’s better for people, the planet and animals.

What is the 'Soil Association'?

The Soil Association is a UK-based charity that campaigns for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use. They set organic standards, certify organic products, and support farmers, businesses and communities to adopt environmentally friendly and ethical practices.

Triodos Bank is the Soil Association’s longest-standing charitable partner - uniting on their shared vision of a world in harmony with nature and the climate.

Dig into the roots of the Soil Association here.

A shared vision on food

Our long-standing partnership with the Soil Association enables it to deliver initiatives that transform farming, improve soil health and strengthen communities. Together, we’re helping to build a cleaner, fairer food system that nurtures the planet and the people who grow our food.

Healthy ecosystems, thriving communities, and shared prosperity all depend on each other - yet they’re often treated separately.

“It all begins with the land. It all begins with farming. When we get farming right - and support the farmers who are doing it right - we lay the foundation for a thriving planet”

Jess Edwards, Triodos Bank UK relationship manager.

To fix our food and agriculture systems, we need to see them as connected and interdependent. The way we eat today cannot come at the cost of the planet’s health or the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers who grow food for global markets.

If we want future generations to have access to nutritious food, we need a major shift in how we produce, trade, transport, process, market, and even waste it.

Banking that backs nature-friendly food systems

Together, we’re helping build a cleaner, fairer food system - one that nurtures the planet and the people who grow our food.

Food production accounts for around a third of global greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC). Intensive farming methods can damage the soil, reduce future productivity and are the biggest driver of biodiversity loss. With farmland making up 70% of the UK, a significant shift in farming practices is urgently needed.

For 30 years, Triodos Bank UK has provided loans to nature-friendly farmers using organic methods, or financing those transitioning away from intensive practices. These customers are all supported by our team of Relationship Managers.

Take a look through the carousel below to learn more about some of our customers within the nature-friendly food and farming world:

Voices from the field: an interview with The Community Farm

Discover how The Community Farm, an organic farm and Triodos Bank customer, navigates rising costs while staying true to its organic principles – and why supporting nature-friendly food matters more than ever.

Read the interview here

 

Skip to next section

  • Holden Farm Dairy: organic since 1973, Holden has spent five decades improving plant, animal and soil health. It’s a living example of how sustainable practices can deliver long-term benefits for farmers, wildlife and customers alike.

  • Jamie’s Farm: a social farm that supports vulnerable young people by combining farming, family and therapy. By working with nature and people together, it creates lasting social impact alongside sustainable food production. Pictured here are some Triodos coworkers on a visit to Jamie's Farm.

  • Better Food: an independent retailer and Triodos Business Savings Account customer which sources organic, local and ethical produce, helping connect nature-friendly farmers with consumers.

  • The Community Farm: an organic, community-owned farm in the South West. It grows vegetables using nature-friendly methods and involves local people in food production, helping reconnect communities with where their food comes from.

Higher standards for sustainable food and farming

We finance agricultural initiatives that work with nature rather than against it, including:

  • Nature-friendly farming projects that improve biodiversity and soil quality.
  • Innovative food producers offering nutritious, high-quality products that promote a healthy society.
  • Community initiatives that improve livelihoods and strengthen rural economies through fair income.

Our minumum standards are a strict set of exclusion criteria for the products, processes, and activities that we do and do not want to invest in. These fall into three categories: planet awareness, human dignity, and governance.

These standards exclude factory farming and ensure our finance supports food systems that respect people, animals and nature.

We regularly update them to reflect evolving sustainability challenges – and have recently set clearer expectations for animal friendly farming practices, including transport limits and measures to allow natural behaviour.

You can be part of the change

We are proud to have joined forces with the Soil Association for almost three decades, paving the way to a more sustainable future together. If you’re keen to learn more about the Soil Association’s work, visit their website and consider becoming a member. 

If you’d like to help support us in this mission, consider opening a Triodos Bank personal account (eligibility and terms and conditions apply).

You can also help us spread the word by…

By supporting organisations that put nature, climate and health first, you can help build a food system fit for the future.