ResPublica Announces New Project on a Civic Approach to Banking

22^nd January 2013

Partnership opportunity for forthcoming project

ResPublica today announce a new project that will commence in 2013. The project will explore innovative ways to address current challenges in the world of banking, outlining ways to radically re-think financial sector policy and practice. Critically, such a review must recognise that renewal of the industry should be groundedbothin a pragmatic understanding of the long-term dynamics of competition and excellence;andin the relationships of trust, knowledge and responsiveness that exist between banks and their customers.

ResPublica’s research project will explore this concept and describe in concrete terms how transformation of the sector in these terms can be achieved. Building on the work which is already being done in the area of banking reform, ResPublica’s project will examine the full range of available reforms beyond ring-fencing and regulation, and will show how the system can be rebuilt with relationships of trust at its core. Emphasising Britain’s banking heritage of mutual models, local diversity and ethical innovation, the project will develop concrete policy proposals for a more vocational, ethos-based sector which is built on greater and fairer competition and local responsiveness to serve community needs.

The project is now open to external partners and sponsors from the public, private and third sectors, who will feed in to our further research and debate in this area and benefit from co-branding on publications and events.

---