Unity Trust Bank appoints head of impact propositions to drive new UK impact initiatives
Unity Trust Bank has announced the appointment of Matt Conroy as its head of impact propositions, as it continues to invest in services that enable customers to deliver positive change.
Matt has more than 30 years’ experience working in commercial banking, including roles at Allied Irish Bank and Triodos Bank.
He joined Unity in 2019 as a relationship manager and was appointed regional director for the South in 2022, where he oversaw significant growth in the bank’s lending to enable positive change.
Reflective of the bank’s increasing investment in supporting customers with their own purpose-driven journeys, the head of impact propositions position was created to support Unity’s Impact team, led by chief impact officer, Joshua Meek.
In his new role, Matt will support the development of products and services that enable customers to improve the way they plan, record and report their positive social and environmental impact.
This is achieved through partnerships with organisations that share Unity’s values, including Groundwork UK and Governance 360.
He will be responsible for growing the recently launched Unity Impact Toolkit. This provides customers with a series of practical resources, featuring measurement frameworks, support from like-minded organisations, and expert insights, each designed to guide their impact journeys.
Matt will also lead the bank’s Retrofit Transition Initiative (RTI), which has ringfenced £50million for housing associations to support decarbonisation activities.
Unity is committed to developing new products that support positive change. It was the first financial institution to support the ‘Retrofit Credits’ programme with the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT) in 2022.
Commenting on his new role, Matt said: “Over the past six years at Unity, I have worked closely with organisations of different sizes and across multiple sectors to establish a deep understanding of their unique market challenges and requirements.
“However, one thing each of Unity’s customers has in common, is their desire to leave a positive impact for their communities and the planet.
“As head of impact propositions, I look forward to strengthening partner relationships, to enhance our product offering and ensure customers have the resources needed to turn their impact ambitions into reality.
“Whether they are supporting vulnerable members of the community, investing in decarbonisation initiatives, or implementing an effective impact strategy, we’re here to help customers of all sizes deliver measurable positive change.”
Joshua Meek, chief impact officer at Unity Trust Bank, said: “Unity’s double bottom line strategy means that profits and purpose go hand in hand. As our balance sheet continues to grow, so too does our ability to deliver our mission to create a better society.
“Not only are we committed to ensuring our customers can access finance to deliver positive change, but we also want to empower them to embed impact into their organisational strategies, particularly as consumers become more conscious of who they spend their money with.
“Matt’s deep understanding of customers’ commercial requirements, paired with his personal motivation to deliver social impact and support our net zero ambitions, makes him perfectly suited to Head of Impact Propositions.
“Matt will drive forward our ambition to be the ethical bank of choice for socially-minded organisations across the UK.”
Unity was founded by the trade union movement in 1984 to serve the common good. It assesses every loan proposal against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the social benefit it will create, to ensure the bank’s funding has demonstrable impact.