One of Christian Climate Actions central campaigning areas is our ethical banking campaign. We are targeting all of the big 5 high street banks – Barclays, HSBC, Santander, NatWest and Lloyds.
As the Banking On Climate Chaos Report outlines, these banks provided $55bn to fossil fuel companies in 2023.
We are urging organisations currently banking with the big five banks, to switch to a bank that does not fund fossil fuels.
Pushing Cathedrals and Dioceses to switch banks
We are taking action at Cathedrals and other locations across the country, praying at these sites in order to urge cathedrals and dioceses to switch to a bank that does not fund fossil fuels.
This is an opportunity for people across the country to join in with a meaningful campaign locally. We’d love for you to get involved.
To see where your local Anglican cathedral or diocese banks, click HERE.
And find out all the information about this exciting campaign by looking at the Ethical Banking Action Pack. It gives a template letter for you to send to your cathedral and diocese. It also outlines why the campaign is important and is full of ideas, guidance and resources.
If you’re interested in joining the campaign, finding out more, or are thinking of switching your organisations bank, contact christianclimateaction@gmail.com or join the WhatsApp group
Vigils are already happening across the country
We’re already seeing vigils at Cathedrals across the country. For example, a big well done to all those who took part in the vigil at Exeter Cathedral. The group stood outside the building entrance, sharing their ethical banking message to people entering the building. They were also able to give a notice during the service, where they explained why they were there. There have been meeting between the group and Cathedral staff following the event.
The vigil outside Winchester was the first action taken by a newly formed CCA local group. It’s so exciting seeing people connecting with others to step outside their comfort zones!
The group not only held a vigil, but also had a conversation with the Dean of the Cathedral, Revd Canon Dr Roland Riem, about why ethical banking is important.
Another big thank you to everyone who was at the vigil urging Gloucester Cathedral to switch to an ethical bank. This group was also able to have a speaking slot in the service, where they explained the importance of ethical banking. Following the service they were also able to speak to the Dean of the Cathedral and members of the congregation.
In Hereford, the group stood outside the entrance to the Cathedral, having conversations with those as they entered for a service. This included them talking to the Chancellor and the priest in charge.
In Ripon Cathedral, Sophie did a Greta Thunberg and sat outside with a sign as people came in. She carried out the one-person vigil on Maudy Thursday, meaning that clergy and lay leaders from across Leeds Diocese were at the Cathedral.
Sophie also had a conversation with the Chief Operating Officer of the cathedral and urged her to drop HSBC as the Cathedral’s bank.
In Bristol, the group held a vigil and urged the Cathedral to stop banking with NatWest.
They spoke to churchgoers arriving for a lunchtime Eucharist service as well as families and members of the public gathered on the cathedral green.
The cathedral, which has not yet answered CCA’s letter urging them to switch banks, were notified of the vigil and welcomed it taking place outside. But at the cathedral’s request, the group decided not to go into the cathedral as there was a welcome day for choristers taking place.
Why switch?
Ethical, transparent and sustainable finance needs to become the norm if we are to take care of God’s creation and help shape a fairer, greener world for future generations.
When a faith-based organisation chooses a bank, the bank benefits. It gives the bank social licence and political influence, as it can present itself as a being associated with positive causes – instead of one which is bankrolling climate collapse. Switching banks stops this from happening.
Telling a bank that we are switching to a greener bank sends a strong message to them that things need to change. If we also shout about the switch more publicly, through social media or a press release, then our reasons for switching can influence the wider banking sector..
What bank to switch to?
As Christians, our ask is for organisations to switch to a bank which does not fund fossil fuels.
In Christian Climate Action, we can’t give banking advice on exactly which bank to switch to, as this leaves us legally liable. However, we can:
- Highlight which banks do not fund fossil fuels. We can share the bank.green webpage to help with this. Or we can share this resource by Just Money (The Co-op, CAF Bank, Reliance Bank and Unity Trust Bank are assessed in the resource).
- Highlight organisations which already use ethical banks. For example Derby Cathedral uses the Co-op bank.
- Signpost to organisations which specialise in giving ethical banking guidance, such as MotherTree.
- Be aware some banks do not currently provide business accounts, for example Nationwide and Triodos.
Christian Climate Action 