Ethical Consumer magazine has rated 28 banks on their current accounts and 46 on their savings accounts, giving them an ethical score. As with its previous ethical banking guide in 2022 – which also saw Triodos awarded ‘Best Buy’ status – the scoring system continues to assess banks on their overall ethos, approach to tackling climate change, and tax conduct. In 2025, Ethical Consumer has introduced new categories to evaluate banks’ lending policies, and loans and investments.
Triodos Bank was recognised as ‘standing ahead of the pack’ and leads the personal current account scoreboard by over 20 points, outranking all the major high street banks, as well as digital-first challenger banks.
Ethical Consumer notes that Triodos is the only bank to score the full 100 points for its company ethos, as it provides a genuine alternative to mainstream banking through its sustainable lending and investing. It specifically cites Triodos’s commitment to fair and appropriate remuneration, including its positive approach to pay ratios, and not paying any director over £1 million.
Triodos is also top-scoring in the climate category as it calculates all its emissions – including its financed emissions – and is prioritising real emissions reduction across its portfolio, as well as financing innovative solutions to accelerate the energy transition before 2030.
In contrast, the majority of high-street banks lose significant points in the rankings for their involvement in funding fossil fuels and opaque approaches to tax.
When considering what policies banks have around their lending, Ethical Consumer also notes that Triodos is the only bank that has disclosed its entire loan portfolio, as the bank publishes the details of all of the lending and investments that it makes online. Triodos’s commitment never to finance the fossil fuel or arms sectors positions it at the top of this category.
Roger Hattam, director of retail banking at Triodos Bank UK, said:“We’re proud that Ethical Consumer has awarded ‘Best Buy’ status to both our current account and personal savings accounts. Against the most comprehensive methodology to date, Triodos's scores reflect the strength of our commitments to transparency, climate action and remuneration.
“This ranking gives consumers absolute confidence in making banking decisions that align with their values. Our recent research shows that the UK public think that funding positive change is needed now more than ever, with younger generations especially being ready to move away from big banks that do not meet these expectations.”
The ranking comes as recent research from Triodos reveals that the UK public think financing positive social and environmental change is needed now more than ever. A poll of 2,000 UK adults found that 81% of people are concerned about the future of the world, while seven in 10 (68%) think we need positive social and environmental change now more than ever.
When it comes to the actions of big corporations and banks, over half (55%) of 18-34 year olds are likely to support businesses that demonstrate progress on sustainability, and the fair and equal treatment of people, over businesses that don’t.
Meanwhile, four in 10 say they are prepared to move their money out of their current bank if it scraps its current sustainability commitments (42%) or DEI initiatives (40%) – as many US-based big banks have done since President Donald Trump’s second term began.
Alex Crumbie, Researcher at Ethical Consumer, commented:"Where you bank matters. Banks don't just take deposits from consumers, they provide loans and other forms of finance to businesses all over the world. Many of the big banks finance businesses involved in harmful activities, such as the extraction of fossil fuels or the production of nuclear weapons. If your money is with one of these banks then we urge you to switch to an ethical bank. For those that wish to switch, Triodos is a great choice. Yet again, it is one of our Best Buys, scoring 96/100 in our ethical rating system.”
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Notes to editors:
For further information, please contact:
Ellie James
T: 0117 311 0241
[email protected]
About Triodos Bank
Founded in 1980, Triodos Bank has become a frontrunner in sustainable banking globally. As an independent bank that promotes responsible and transparent banking, it does not see any conflict between a focus on people and the planet and a good financial return. Instead it believes that they reinforce each other in the long-term.
Triodos Bank has banking activities in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Spain and Germany as well as Investment Management activities based in the Netherlands but active globally. Triodos Bank co-founded the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), a network of sustainable banks. Together these banks want to grow sustainable banking and its impact on the real economy substantially.
About Ethical Consumer
Ethical Consumer are an independent, not-for-profit, multistakeholder co-operative founded in 1989 and based in Manchester. Their primary goal is making global businesses more sustainable through consumer pressure. Their mission is to:
- Help consumers to challenge corporate power by using their economic vote every time they go shopping.
- Democratise the market by enabling consumers to assert their own ethical values by using Ethical Consumer’s shopping guides.
- Have a fully transparent ranking system. All their data is available to subscribers.
- Engage with companies by telling them why ethical consumers are buying or not buying their products. Ethical Consumer also send them detailed questions about their policy and practice on ethical issues.
- Push for wider political action and legislative change. Ethical consumerism is not a replacement for other forms of political action. But it is an important additional way for people to exert their influence.
Triodos Bank UK Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank NV. Registered Office: Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS. Registered in England and Wales Company No. 11379025. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 817008. VAT reg no 793493383.