Over the past year, 1,000 consumers reached out to the UK commercial bank, Unity Trust Bank expressing their desire for a greater way to measure their social impact. In response to this demand, the bank has now launched the ‘Unity Impact Toolkit’ (UIT) which will help consumers not only showcase their positive impact but improve it too.
The Unity Impact Toolkit will comprise of a series of video tutorials, workshops and accessible toolkits which will measure the positive social, economic and environmental impacts organisations create for communities. The first video in the series, launched at the start of May, explains how organisations can develop a clear ‘theory of change’. By writing down and articulating the steps and causal pathways between their actions to the desired impact, organisations can better plan, implement and measure their social impact.
Commenting on the launch of the new toolkit, Joshua Meek, chief impact officer at Unity Trust Bank, said: “We’re a customer-driven bank with a mission to contribute to a better society. Supporting customers to achieve their goals and create more impact is central to our mission.
“Last year over 1,000 customers told us that a key service they would like from Unity was help in measuring their social impact. Using lessons from our work with the pioneering think tank, NPC (New Philanthropy Capital), the resources and template provided in this new toolkit aim to support our customers to do this.
“In the coming months, our UIT resources will provide practical insights and strategies for measuring and managing positive impact.
“Our goal is to equip organisations with the knowledge and skills they need to make a meaningful difference and drive inclusive growth in their communities. We invite our customers, and any organisation who wants to strengthen their impact, to use the toolkit and tell us how to improve and expand it to support your impact goals.
“Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the field, this toolkit aims to support organisations to strengthen impact. Together, we can build a more impactful and sustainable future.”
Expanding NPC collaboration
Unity worked with NPC – a well-established think tank and consultancy for the social impact sector – to develop and launch its own Theory of Change in 2024. It followed close collaboration with the bank’s leadership team, and consultation with staff across the organisation, to ensure the Theory of Change aligned with Unity’s long-term business strategy.
Jonathan Simmons, NPC’s chief executive, commented: “At NPC, our heritage is in the financial sector. We’re delighted that this partnership with Unity extends our impact measurement expertise to all of its clients.
“This work is another great example of the growing amount of financial organisations delivering positive social impact.
“We are excited to continue supporting investment funds, impact investors, and banks to increase the difference they make and articulate their impact strategy.”
