Corporate Social Responsibility
Our Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy In The UK
We believe that everyone should have equal access to career opportunities, and thus have the chance to reach their potential. We also believe that a diverse workforce is key to a thriving business.
Our CSR strategy focuses on improving employability prospects for three key target groups: women and individuals from ethnically diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.
Our UK corporate foundation, the Societe Generale UK Foundation, also shares our goal, investing in Bright Futures to unlock the potential in our communities.
With the support of the SG UK Foundation, we are proud to be investing in programmes that provide alternative pathways into employment and skills development opportunities for individuals and organisations in the communities in which we operate.
Mapped against the Sustainable Development Goals, our CSR programmes aim to empower our staff to share their own skills and experience, so that together, we can make a positive impact on society.
Watch the video below to discover some of the charities we're supporting.
Driven by
equal opportunity
& diversity
We positively impact communities
and help transform societies
Together with the SG UK Foundation
we’re…
Helping to tackle the housing emergency
[Shelter dual logo]
Integrating previously homeless people
into the workforce
£1 MN raised so far
Assisting people with learning difficulties
back to work
[Grow Ltd dual logo]
Empowering domestic abuse survivors
to re-enter the workplace
[Jersey Women’s Refuge dual logo]
Supporting mental health recovery
through work experience
[Clubhouse Gibraltar dual logo]
Opening the door of opportunity to
underrepresented youth
150 supported so far through our
Young Influences Programme
Increasing employability through sport
[Street League logo]
Enhancing skill sets in East London
through mentoring
[ELBA logo]
Connecting 100s of disadvantaged youth
through tech donations
With more to come…
Thanks to the
continued commitment of
our teams and partners
Our Impact
Thanks to our UK staff’s contribution to our CSR volunteering and fundraising initiatives, and investments made by the SG UK Foundation, we continue to have a very real impact.
Click here to view our combined 2023 Community Impact Report.
Fundraising For Our Charity Partners
Supporting Shelter's GROW Programme
Together with the SG UK Foundation, we are proud to be supporting our charity partner Shelter for five years (until March 2026), funding its Getting Real Opportunities of Work (GROW) Programme.
GROW helps break down barriers to employment by awarding 15-month paid placements to people who have lived through the trauma of poor housing and homelessness: GROW Trainees. In their roles, Trainees use this lived experience as a tool to tackle the housing emergency, influencing design of services, and support other people affected by housing issues or homelessness to get involved in campaigns or access the support they need to find a safe home and rebuild their own lives.
During our partnership, we will directly support a minimum of 42 GROW Trainees through placements and a further 3,000 people in similar situations through the work our GROW Trainees are doing. Our fundraising also funds two GROW Involvement Officers, who support the trainees in their roles, as well as the GROW Coordinator, who oversees the programme.
Partnering With Local Charities Across The Channel Islands And Gibraltar
In regional offices where our private bank SG Kleinwort Hambros is operating, our colleagues are partnering with local charities who provide alternative pathways to employment and facilitate skills development within communities.
The charities include Free from Domestic Abuse (FREEDA), Guernsey’s Rural Occupational Workshop (GROW), and Clubhouse Gibraltar. Click here for more information.
Volunteering: Sharing Our Skills to Increase Employability Prospect
The Young Influencers Programme: Inspiring The Next Generation
Our flagship Young Influencers Programme aims to equip the next generation of talent with the skills needed to build a successful career and make a positive impact.
Seventy East London 16–18-year-olds are enrolled in the programme every year with a focus on young women and individuals from ethnically diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds. We have been running the programme for three years and so far, have engaged over 160 students and 500 employee volunteers who contribute their energy and expertise to inspire the students and provide guidance.
The programme comprises an eight-month series of interactive workshops, designed to inspire the students, support their skills development, build their understanding of the Finance sector, and have a positive influence on their future and our wider society. Each year the programme culminates in a Pitch Day, where finalist student teams come to One Bank Street to pitch social project ideas to a senior judging panel.
The image above shows the winning team from the latest programme's Pitch Day, 'Happy Together' with the Societe Generale judging panel. Their project plan involved tackling issues of loneliness in care homes by increasing intergenerational engagement.
Young Influencers Programme participants are invited to apply for a paid work experience placement during the following summer, giving them the opportunity to put their newly acquired skills and knowledge into practice in the workplace.
Our Wider Volunteering Offer
As well as our charity partnerships and flagship Young Influencers Programme, we have further opportunities for our staff to use their skills to help our local communities. These include trusteeships, coaching programmes, and skills-based workshops which support the East London Third Sector.
We offer all employees 24 hours per year of volunteering time, which can be used to undertake a personal volunteering activity, or to access the range of initiatives offered via our central CSR programme. Employees can also access matched funding through the SG UK Foundation, unlocking charitable donations for volunteering time, fundraising, and donations.
