Greater Manchester Credit Unions Address DEI Agenda

Tuesday 25 June 2024

Research provided by Fair4All Finance, Financial Inclusion Centre & Nest Insight is finding a clear link between the challenges faced by marginalised groups and communities and a lack of access to appropriate, inclusive and welcoming financial services and, as a result, a much stronger likelihood of debt, lack of savings and general financial stress.

During the event, delegates listened and debated with a panel of speakers who are establishing the links between financial wellbeing and tackling the DEI agenda as well as understanding how credit union services and workplace savings schemes can be part of the solution.

The panel included:

– Ayesha Begum, Senior Manager, Strategy and Impact at Fair Finance

– Professor Adele Atkinson, CHASM – Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management from University of Birmingham

– Jo Phillips, Director of Research and Innovation, Nest Insight

– Gareth Evans, Co-Director Financial Inclusion Centre

Also speaking at the event was Ian MacArthur, Director of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, who discussed on the pivotal impact credit unions have to make in the Greater Manchester and how employers can collaborate to promote financial wellbeing.

CEO of The Co-op Credit Union, Matt Bland said: “On behalf of the SoundPound consortium, I’d like to give a big thanks to the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter and our speakers for presenting at the event. SoundPound’s goal is to combine our efforts to provide Greater Manchester communities and workplaces with affordable and inclusive finance and to promote credit union services with the sector’s ethos in mind – people helping people.

“As the CEO of The Co-op Credit Union, I am greatly encouraged about the practical solutions explored by our speakers to be the viable alternative to high-cost credit and to promote resilience through savings across communities and workplaces in Greater Manchester.  In particular, by supporting those groups in society those who need it most.”