smile, as part of The Co-operative Bank, is still the only UK clearing bank with a customer-led Ethical Policy. So our customers can be sure their money will never be invested in companies that pursue profits at the expense of their social and environmental responsibilities.

In 1992, The Co-operative Bank launched its ethical policy. From day one, it reflected the ethical concerns of our customers, after all we never forget that it’s their money that’s being invested.

The ethical policy is updated regularly and in 2008, customers were asked to vote on the ethical and environmental issues that matter to them such as human rights, animal welfare, fair trade and climate change.

Almost 80,000 smile and The Co-operative Bank customers voted, demonstrating that our customers are more engaged with an ethical approach to banking than ever.

To read the results of the last ethical policy review and to see the new policy statements visit our good with money website.

Since 1992, The Co-operative Bank and smile have withheld over £1 billion of their customers’ money from businesses whose activities conflict with the policy. We’ve said no to:

• over £465 million of loans to businesses that conflicted with customer’s environmental concerns
• over £210 million to businesses that conflicted with customer’s ethical concerns for animal welfare
• over £300 million of loans to businesses that conflicted with customer’s concerns for human rights and international development.

Find out how we’re a friend of the environment