Barclays

Article 13 criteria for selection:

Member of the British Urban Regeneration Association steering group. Continuing work in the area of social inclusion and regeneration

Business Insights
Turnover: 11,360m (2001 - Operating income) Core Service: Financial services Profile: Once of the largest financial services groups in the UK, with a growing retail and commercial banking arm outside the UK. The business has four branches: retail banking; corporate banking; Barclays Global Investors, one of the world's leading institutional fund managers; and Barclays Capital, which handles foreign exchange, derivatives, and fixedincome business. Mission: "We aspire to be one of the most admired financial services organisations in the world, recognised as an innovative, customer-focused company that delivers superb products and services, ensures excellent careers for our people and contributes positively to the communities in which we live and work."

Corporate social responsibility insights

Barclays is one of the largest corporate donors in the UK, with a high level of direct financial contribution. As mentioned in the Mission above, positive contribution to the community is part of the business objectives and this is implemented practically through various programmes. Barclays has been criticised in the past for closures with little notice in small isolated communities because of these branches not being commercially viable. How does this fit with the claims of contribution to communities? Social inclusion is a focus of Barclays' community initiatives. Its involvement on the whole, is limited to carefully targeted cash contributions. These are mainly aimed at organisations working with young people and homelessness. However, in efforts towards "bridging the digital divide" the approach is more one of partnership where Barclays works alongside organisations that aim to help socially or geographically excluded people access information technology. Accessibility in a diverse society is a focus of Barclays' policy towards its customers and employees.

With customers, Barclays has commissioned market research with a social focus, including a study of the profile and experience of older entrepreneurs and a report on young entrepreneurship. Research was also undertaken to understand the requirements and expectations of ethnic-minority personal and small-business customers, and the gay and lesbian market. The company claims that becoming a more inclusive organisation will enable it to capitalise on the talents of all Barclays employees. To this end an Equality and diversity charter was developed and signed by the members of the Executive Committee. Part of the initiative were the following objectives:

By 2012 - have a workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate and the international nature of the organisation By 2006 - double the representation of women in senior executive positions (from 11% to 22%)and 3% of senior executives from ethnic minority backgrounds (from 0.6%) By 2006 - more than 70% of employees in all employee groups satisfied with Barclays performance on Equality and diversity.

The company has set up five task forces of employee volunteers. Each task force looks at one of the key issues of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation and age. Senior champions, including the Chief Executives of Barclaycard and Barclays Private Clients, lead these groups. This initiatives towards diversity and equality, developed and implemented internally demonstrates a commitment to integrating the issues into its business processes and making it a dynamic process.

Business benefit
As well as being part of its overall business mission, Barclays' approach to social inclusion and community involvement has benefits on different levels. Externally, Barclays' corporate reputation is improved by its high-profile involvement in national charity events. However this is not sufficient in itself and it is backed up by its partnership initiatives. Internally, the Equality and diversity initiative and the employee volunteering scheme can contribute to staff attraction, recruitment, motivation and retention. Through its efforts towards social inclusion and education, and in particular financial inclusion, not only helps people access banking services, but builds future markets for the company. This benefits socially excluded individuals and benefits the business.

What do the 'experts' say?

Is the company featured on? The Dow Jones The FTSE4Good Sustainability indices? indices? Has it ever won? An ACCA Award for Sustainability Reporting? Is it a member of? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development?