Insurance Overview

No policy was found to indicate that Post Office Bank avoids lending to or insuring companies that directly contribute to human rights violations.

However, with regard to its Responsible Procurement Policy, Post Office Bank’s parent company, Royal Mail Group expects suppliers to:

• Adhere to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and comply with the eight fundamental ILO Conventions

The Post Office Bank offers the Post Office Card Account (POCA), which does not contain any overdraft or charges. No credit check is required to open an account, which allows individuals to take cash out and check their balance.

The Post Office has founded Go ON UK, which is committed to helping 16 million people in the UK who lack the skills or confidence to benefit from new digital services, participate in digital training sessions across the 11,780 branches. To help people who may not have access to, or know how to use, the internet, the Post Office is working with the government and community partners to ensure people can go to a Post Office branch to get the help they need to access these services in a safe and trusted environment.

No evidence that Post Office Bank provides direct financial support to or engages in partnerships with Credit Unions and CDFIs (Community Development Finance Institutions).

According to its 2012 Annual Report, the Post Office strives to be one of the most accessible organisations in the UK, ensuring that colleagues with disability needs are provided with all the support they need and disabled customers receive an excellent experience.

In 2012-13, the Post Office:

• launched the Post Office Disability Helpline to provide solutions and specialist equipment to employees with disability or accessibility issues;
• provided grants to agency branches to upgrade  their outlets to make them more accessible; and
• created and met a panel of accessibility experts from disability organisations on a regular basis, whose role is to advise on the accessibility issues facing disabled people and our people.

The Post Office also states it has the largest free-to-use cash ATMs network in the UK (Post Office rural network), providing access to financial services for those in remote or deprived areas.

No evidence found of Post Office Bank’s involvement in any microfinance or microinsurance projects.

No evidence found that Post Office Bank invests in or lends at lower rates to financially excluded communities.

No commitment to become fully carbon neutral was found.