What Allyship means to us
BRAVER is all about driving the behaviours and practices that promote equity and inclusion. It means Believing in each other, taking time to Reflect, holding ourselves Accountable and being open and Vulnerable. We Empathise with each other, appreciate different perspectives and Recognise the uniqueness in everyone. By doing so we can spark deeper connections, encourage courageous conversations and use the power of differences to better understand and support our customers.
Hey Viv, tell us more...
"An ally is any person that actively promotes and aspires to advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole. Allyship is a really powerful lever for inclusion in the world of DE&I as it gives us all an opportunity to be part of progress. Allyship is highly practical. It's about learning, listening and supporting others to bring about positive change. An important step towards driving allyship into our culture is to bring to life the behaviours and practices that promote equity and inclusion to provide colleagues with a practical means of being an active ally, this is where BRAVER comes in as BRAVER is our allyship framework here at Virgin Money."
Viv McSweeney Head of Talent Acquisition, Employer Branding and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Why Allyship Matters to Us
We want our colleagues to feel at home, at work. By taking concreate actions and having a framework to lean on to navigate us on our ever evolving journey of inclusion, we're able to create a workplace where:
- Voices are amplified - ensuing that all perspectives are represented
- Inclusion is active - making sure everyone is welcomed
- Barriers are smashed - by working hard to remove obstacles to success for underrepresented groups
- Sense of belonging is heightened- we support one another, build trust and better connections
Embedding Allyship
To support allyship across the Bank, we've implemented key initiatives to help us on our way:
- Our amazing BRAVER Influencers - We've partnered with our colleagues to who take the lead in educating their business areas on the elements of the framework
- Recognising our BRAVER Colleagues - We've integrated BRAVER into our colleague feedback system so we can recognise those colleagues who are actively using BRAVER everyday in their roles"
- Colleague network groups - Creating spaces for our colleagues to connect, share experiences and gain support
- Reciprocal Mentoring - Aiming to change systems, structures and beliefs that stifle equity and inclusion
- Goal setting /development tool - To make sure we're all keeping ourselves informed
- Leadership Accountability - Supporting our leaders to model allyship in their actions and decision making
Making positive change
We're challenging ourselves to build sustainability, inclusion and equity into our business processes and decision making, and we’re proud of the progress we’re making. By having clear, ambitious targets and partnering with industry experts, we're making meaningful progress and creating lasting impact. We take pride in what we're building and remain dedicated to living out our Purpose. Here's some of the things we've been up to:
Turn2us
Our Turn2us benefits calculator has to date, provided up to £5,000,000 in eligible benefits and uplifts
Reboot Boost Mortgage
Giving customers up to £10,000 cashback for energy efficient home improvements
Make £5 Grow
Over 185,500 children have been apart of our Young Enterprise accredited financial education programme
Virgin Money Foundation
Supporting organisations to make a real and lasting difference in their neighbourhood by enabling digital inclusion
Sustainable Business Coach
Powered by Future-fit Foundation, we're supporting our customers to define their journey to low carbon
Zero waste to landfill*
Since 2014, Where available and where Virgin Money are responsible for the supply, 100% of gas and electricity in our UK stores and offices is generated from green sources
Our stories
What are you waiting for?
If you're looking for more than just a career, look no further. If you want to contribute to a workplace where diversity is celebrated to play a part in taking strides to creating an inclusive culture, check out our open roles and see if anything takes your fancy.
Hey Viv, tell us more...
"An ally is any person that actively promotes and aspires to advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole. Allyship is a really powerful lever for inclusion in the world of DE&I as it gives us all an opportunity to be part of progress. Allyship is highly practical. It's about learning, listening and supporting others to bring about positive change. An important step towards driving allyship into our culture is to bring to life the behaviours and practices that promote equity and inclusion to provide colleagues with a practical means of being an active ally, this is where BRAVER comes in as BRAVER is our allyship framework here at Virgin Money."
Viv McSweeney Head of Talent Acquisition, Employer Branding and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
