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Strengthening responsible business
The challenge
People’s trust in business is at an all-time low, so companies need to step up and show they’re acting responsibly and helping to create positive change.
How we can help
Societal challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis could lead to potentially catastrophic shocks for our wider world. We believe businesses, including Royal London, need to take more responsibility for reducing environmental and social risks.
We want to help strengthen society to create a better future for all. We’ve a proud history of leading the way for positive change and we’re committed to stakeholders beyond our customers. As a responsible investor, we use our investments to help better society and campaign for good corporate governance. We’re also focused on making our operations and supply chain more sustainable, working to support our local communities and building a diverse, inclusive and positive workplace for our people.
The responsible investment commitment
7 Determined to…
invest responsibly and encourage positive change in business
We’re a responsible investor, and a leading investor. We use our position as a force for good. We use our influence to encourage and challenge more businesses we invest in to act more responsibly, and work in collaboration with like-minded companies to push for positive change.
We're delivering on this commitment by:
- Building on our track record of responsible investing
- Using our voice for good by speaking up when we believe the companies we invest in could be doing better
- Working with likeminded others to engage with the world’s largest corporate greenhouse emitters and encourage them to take necessary action on climate change
We're helping to prevent life shocks becoming a crisis by:
- Helping to strengthen businesses through engagement, and voting to improve performance and mitigate ESG risk (e.g. climate change, financial and social inclusion, and diversity)
The environment and sustainability commitment
8 Determined to…
build sustainability into our operational estate and supply chain
We’ve a proud history of leading the way for positive change, and we’ve always been committed to doing the right thing. So we’re looking closely at how we can make our own offices, operations and supply chain more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
We're delivering on this commitment by:
- Taking positive action, such as removing single-use plastic cups from our offices and shifting our electricity contracts to renewable energy where possible
- Hiring a Group Environmental and Sustainability manager and creating an Environmental Improvement Plan that will support us in setting environmental targets
- Launching an internal Environmental Champions Network to spearhead change initiatives
We're helping to prevent life shocks becoming a crisis by:
- Working with our supply chain to collectively play our part in reducing the likelihood of catastrophic climate change, and minimising our impact on the environment, to reduce the risk of extreme weather events and other environmental shocks
The community commitment
9 Determined to…
help people prevent a life shock becoming a crisis
A life shock can have a big impact on our finances. For some people, these shocks lead to a crisis. That’s why we’re working with community partners to provide proactive help and immediate relief, as well as lasting support for those who are struggling. Our employees do a fantastic job of fundraising and volunteering to strengthen our communities and create a better future for all.
We're delivering on this commitment by:
- Supporting our people to work with our communities through volunteering and fundraising, and supporting members to do the same through the Royal London Foundation
- Launching our new flagship community programme, which will work with local and national partners to help promote resilience and rebuild lives
- Creating a lasting impact, by helping our charity partners to become stronger organisations
We're helping to prevent life shocks becoming a crisis by:
- Supporting vulnerable people through preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of shocks, and to cope with the financial and mental impacts of shocks when they do happen
The people commitment
10 Determined to…
create a meaningful, inclusive workplace for our people and their wellbeing.
We’re all in it together. That’s why it’s important for our people to feel included and valued. We acknowledge that everyone is different, and we treat them as individuals. Similarly, each of our employees has a unique contribution to make to our company. We do all we can to protect their wellbeing and help them grow.
We're delivering on this commitment by:
- Giving our people a voice, providing supportive networks and supporting public initiatives such as the Time to Change campaign and the Women in Finance Charter
- Introducing a range of initiatives to boost wellbeing for all of our employees
- Listening to our people and measuring and monitoring our progress, so we can keep improving
We're helping to prevent life shocks becoming a crisis by:
- Supporting our people through preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of shocks, and to cope with the financial and mental impacts of shocks when they do happen
Modern slavery statement
At Royal London, we're passionate about ensuring our business is conducted ethically.
Our community engagement programme
Our community programme focuses on financial vulnerability and resilience, an area where we think we can really make a difference.