RBS

Is RBS ethical?

RBS has been researched and ranked in The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Banks & Building Societies Ratings Table and receives a low score.

Although our ethical requirements have not yet been met by this company, we hope that in the future, it will make the necessary adjustments to operate as a more ethical business.

More information on the ethical issues faced by the sector, may be found in The Good Shopping Guide’s article on Ethical Banking. You can also use our Ethical Banks & Building Societies Ratings Table to compare RBS to other banks.

What does RBS do?

RBS, also known as The Royal Bank of Scotland, is a British bank and subsidiary of NatWest Group. The company’s origins trace all the way back to 1707 but was officially founded in 1727 and eventually became a part of NatWest Group in 2019.

For which criteria does RBS score poorly? 

Unfortunately, RBS receives a bottom rating in many research categories, primarily due to the activities of its parent company, NatWest Group.

For instance, as NatWest has been accused of being one of the top banks funding the fossil fuel company, TotalEnergies, RBS receives a bottom rating in the Environmental Destruction category.

In what areas does RBS score well for its ethics?

Although RBS does not receive a top rating in any category, it does attain a middle rating in some areas.

This includes the Political Donations criterion, as although NatWest has donated thousands of dollars in recent U.S. election cycles, it has not donated over £50,000 (which is our threshold for a bottom rating).

How can RBS improve its ethical rating?

The ethical rating of a Finance brand is divided into three categories by The Good Shopping Guide: the Environment, People and Other. Find out more about how we rate.

RBS should work on its low ratings in order to improve its overall GSG score. For instance, this could be achieved by ceasing political donations and funding of fossil fuel companies.

If you’re interested in learning more about achieving Ethical Accreditation for your brand, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.