Co-op News (August 2019)

FINANCE
Mutuals among the most-trusted financial firms for customer service
Mutuals and building societies were
among the winners at the 2019 Moneywise
Most Trusted Customer Service Awards.
Mutual society Benenden Health was
named most trusted provider in the health
insurance via employer category, and was
a highly commended in the individual
health insurance category.
Based in York, the non-profit mutual
provides healthcare services for over
810,000 members across the UK, including
employees of 545 businesses.
Chief commercial officer Helen
Smith said: “We’re so proud that our
members have taken the time to vote
for us as their most trusted employerprovided
healthcare product. Members
are at the heart of our decision-making
as an organisation and it’s great to
be recognised by them. It was also
amazing to be highly commended in
the poll of those who have a personal
healthcare product.”
The Co-op Bank won in the most trusted
mainstream bank award category, and
was highly commended in the best branch
service, best contact centre service and
most trusted current account categories.
While no longer owned by the Co-op
Group, over the last four years the Bank
has invested of £1.3m in the Hive, a co-op
business support programme provided by
Co-operatives UK.
Nationwide Building Society won
the best current account provider for
branch service and best provider for
children’s savings categories. It was
highly commended in the most trusted
financial provider, most trusted mortgage
provider and best provider for regular
savers categories.
Coventry Building Society won most
trusted savings and cash Isa provider.
NFU mutual won most trusted insurer
and was highly commended in the most
trusted car insurance provider.
Employee owned John Lewis won best
credit card provider for rewards and was
highly commended in most trusted credit
card provider.
Around 32,000 members of the public
voted in the awards.
Rachel Rickard Straus, editor
of Moneywise, said: “Customer service
matters. So much so that 32,000 readers
took the time to share their views with us.
“Great customer service and trust
remains as important now as ever. You
can have the whizziest apps, websites and
products in the world, but if a customer
can’t easily get a complaint resolved, or
speak to a human if they need to, that’s
what will stick in minds.”
DEVELOPMENT
Stir to Action grants
will fund study of
community business
leadership
“While mental health and wellbeing
are rightly becoming a priority, there
is still pressure for communities to put
their best face forward,” said Stir to
Action’s director Jonny Gordon-Farleigh.
“This fellowship will initially build more
awareness and also support individuals
and communities to more effectively share
new and inspiring approaches across
the UK.”
Worker-owned magazine Stir to Action is
funding research into the pressures faced
by community business leaders.
Supported by independent trust Power
to Change, the Beyond Here fellowship
will explore wellbeing in community
leadership.
“Recognising yourself as a community
leader can have profound positive effects,
but the experience can be challenging
and isolating,” said Fergus Arkley,
development manager at Power to Change.
Fellows will work with community
leaders across the UK to explore, and
find solutions to, these challenges. Stir to
Action’s coordinator Stephanie Gamauf
will help them find community business
partners, undertake place-based research,
and share their findings through Stir to
Action’s magazine and events.
u Stir to Action is offering four fellowship grants of £2,000 through the scheme, which
will fund a week-long fellowship and cover loss of earnings, accommodation, and a host
contribution. Applications close on 1 September. For more details visit s.coop/23f9w
10 | AUGUST 2019