Delivering on our Purpose
Our mission: creating a better society
At Unity, we measure success in two ways, financial performance and social value. We exist to be the bank with a social conscience, supporting organisations that deliver community, economic, social and environmental benefit across the UK. Every loan we fund is assessed not just for returns, but for the positive change it creates.
Each year, we produce an Impact Report that brings together the outcomes we’ve helped create alongside our customers over the past 12 months. The report is how we hold ourselves accountable, showing clearly how your money helps to support people, build stronger communities, and protect the planet.
Our Impact Resources
Our Impact in 2025
In 2025, we made bold progress toward our ambition to become the social impact bank of choice. We launched our Green Tariff Lending and became the first UK bank to invest in Local Climate Bonds. We also hit a record level of deposits (£1.9bn) and increased lending to customers by 143%. Our latest video, on the left, brings together familiar faces from across Unity to share how we made it happen.
Our 2025 impact at a glance
1,015
people at risk of homelessness
were supported
43.2%
of lending directed to organisations serving disadvantaged communities
736 homes
and 21 communal spaces supported to decarbonise
87%
of our customers were ‘satisfied’ or ‘extremely satisfied’ with our services
Below, we’ve pulled together the highlights from our 2025 Impact Report. To read our previous impact reports, visit our Impact Report Archive.
Our approach to impact
Impact is embedded in how we operate as a bank. We lend to organisations that strengthen communities, support essential services and help build a more inclusive economy. Our impact is focussed on three pillars:
People
In the UK, supporting the housing, health and wellbeing sectors is a direct solution to tackling the impacts of poverty in communities.
Unity plays an essential role supporting these sectors by providing targeted lending to mission-aligned organisations.
Planet
To deliver healthy, thriving and sustainable communities, organisations need support in the transition to a resilient low carbon economy. Aligned to our ‘Net Zero by 2045’ strategy, Unity provides lending to reduce carbon emissions in housing, commercial real estate and to accelerate local solutions to climate action.
Prosperity
Inclusive economic growth is essential to a resilient economy in the UK. Through our support for schools, training providers, and Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), Unity provides opportunities to invest in local growth, open learning pathways and improve employment opportunities.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
We measure our activity against the UN SDGs to ensure every pound we lend delivers meaningful impact across the UK. Our focus is on sectors and organisations that create tangible benefits for their communities.
When your money is used to back organisations that support the UN SDGs, it helps build stronger communities, a healthier society and a more sustainable future. That’s why we choose to lend with purpose, and why who you bank with truly matters.
Impact in action
Ubele
Bristol City Council
Resonance
Our impact model
Our impact model shows how our activities generate positive social impact across the UK, all guided by our purpose. You can explore the full detail of our approach in our latest Impact Report.
Build your own impact model
We’ve developed our Impact Toolkit to demonstrate how our approach connects purpose to outcomes, and how your organisation can apply the same principles to measure and manage its own impact.
Impact starts with our people
We deliver a wide variety of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to contribute to our mission. Our employee-led forum, Unity & Me, acts as a key driver of impact, with initiatives identified and delivered by staff across the bank in the following five pillars:
Grants & Donations:
Empowering staff to deliver positive outcomes for colleagues, communities and the planet.Equity, Diversity & Inclusion:
Focusing on promoting equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) in the workplace and community.Health, Wellbeing & Welfare:
Championing activities within the workplace where colleagues feel supported, informed, and confident to prioritise their overall wellbeing.Unity Green:
Integrating sustainability initiatives directly into Unity’s core strategies and policies. It places the planet at the centre of our culture and collective impact.Community Growth:
Supporting meaningful volunteering activities and alignment with socially minded organisations. It strives to foster a culture of giving back, promoting social equality and supporting local causes.As part of our Unity in the Community initiative, our employees are given up to five paid days per year to take part in volunteering and fundraising for charities and community organisations across the UK.
Not only does this benefit local communities and the people they support, it also provides valuable practical experience for our team, which enhances their understanding and knowledge of the social economy sector.
Be part of the impact
If your organisation is working to create positive change, we’re here to support you. Explore our business banking products, designed to help you grow and deliver impact.
Choose a bank that shares your values
For over 40 years, we’ve delivered strong returns while funding sectors that make a real difference, from housing and healthcare to education and community growth. Our current accounts, savings accounts and responsible lending enable organisations like yours to make a lasting difference in their local communities.