Life at
Castle Trust Bank
Career Growth
Learning and Development (L&D) is an important part of any business, and at Castle Trust Bank, we thrive on ensuring everyone has an opportunity to learn new skills and progress in their career. Our L&D team are passionate about developing our people, through eLearning, professional qualifications and internal and external training. Since 2019, we’ve been partnering with an external training provider to develop our leaders across the business to become accredited in their the ILM Leadership and Behavioural Change programme. We deliver internal people management training to upskill and enhance the development of and capability of our managers to ensure a seamless colleague experience.
We are proud to support new to work apprenticeships as well as using the Levy for existing colleagues to obtain a formal qualification whilst on the job, and through the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Scheme we also support local businesses to help them develop their employees through apprenticeship programmes.
Our specialist trainers work collaboratively across the bank to ensure every colleague feels confident through understanding the skills and competencies required for their role (and all others) and is supported should any training needs arise.
Colleagues are encouraged to reflect on their growth opportunities to identify training opportunities, whether soft skills, technical knowledge or professional / academic qualifications.
Every year we participate in the national ‘Learning at Work Week’ which promotes lifelong learning at work and collaboration amongst all colleagues. Taking part in this initiative allows us to promote our learning culture and give colleagues the opportunity to network and gain an insight to other departments / roles.
This year to celebrate the week and its theme of connection, we welcomed the return of our all-colleague team building day, providing a platform for colleagues to connect with those they wouldn’t usually in their daily role and have fun whilst doing so.
Inclusion & Engagement
We are committed to providing an environment which promotes inclusion and diversity, by celebrating our differences and fostering a collaborative approach; allowing everyone who is involved with Castle Trust Bank to feel like they belong. We ensure that all colleagues, candidates, customers and third party partners feel welcome.
Our Executive Committee have instilled a ‘You Said, We Did’ approach in supporting engagement. Colleagues know that their feedback, ideas and opinions are listened to through various engagement opportunities.
We have been praised for our approach to inclusion, and our company culture, by being awarded the Best Place to Work award in 2023 at the Hampshire Business Awards.
We always strive to find new and exciting ways to do more for our inclusive culture, but here is a quick look at what we already do:
- Disability Confident Employer
- Neurodiversity in Business Ambassadors
- Member of the Women in Finance Charter
- Ambassadors of the Menopause Pledge
- We are PROUD LGBTQ+ Network
- Specific internal and external training covering Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and Disability Awareness
- Zero tolerance policy to discrimination
Wellbeing
We strive to be The Place to Work and as part of this we intend to provide the best mental and physical health and wellbeing support for colleagues.
We know that we are all more productive and engaged when we feel like our wellbeing is cared about and that our employers hold it as a priority. We share this view at Castle Trust Bank and so offer the following to our colleagues:
- Our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Working Group facilitates company-wide social events as well as a formal delivery plan in support of all things ESG.
- Qualified Mental Health First Aiders who recognise everyone experiences challenges at some point whether in the workplace or in their personal lives.
- A professional 24/7 confidential and free Employee Assistance Programme, including a helpline, chat room, self-help articles and webinars as well as 121 counselling.
- Health benefits, including online GP, private consultations/treatment, dental and optical care. We always look for ways to improve our colleagues' financial stability, through fair pay, a discretionary bonus scheme, a contributory pension scheme, along with enhanced family leave policies.
Environment, Social and Governance (ESG)
Developing and delivering our ESG plan
We recognise we play an important role in helping to protect the environment and support social initiatives, whilst making sure our business is well governed, and so we introduced our ESG plan in 2022 and publish an updated version each year on our main website. Our plan aims to preserve the measures we have already implemented and continue to set ambitious targets for the future.
Our latest ESG Plan was reviewed and approved by our Board in Spring 2024. Our colleague-led ESG Working Group helps implement and progress the initiatives, and the delivery of the ESG plan forms part of the performance agreement for all of our executives.
The benefits we offer
We believe that our colleagues are our greatest asset. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, both at work and beyond. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect.
Salary and Bonus
You will receive a competitive salary and you will participate in an annual discretionary bonus scheme for all colleagues.
Pension
We'll make a 6% employer contribution into your pension scheme if you become a member and participate too (minimum 4.5% employee contribution with flexibility to increase based on personal choice).
Holiday and Leave
You'll get 25 days annual leave (28 days for Senior Managers) plus bank holidays and an optional benefit to buy / sell up to a maximum of 5 days. In addition, you will receive an extra day paid annual leave for Volunteering each year (terms apply). You will also be supported when your family is growing or in times when you need to take additional leave to support your children.
Health Benefits
All colleagues have access to join a health benefit scheme. We offer a hybrid cash plan / private medical scheme with GP and physio services for all colleagues and for our senior roles we provide full PMI benefit. Colleagues can add family members at a competitive rate.
Life Assurance
Our scheme gives you peace of mind that your loved ones will be financially looked after if you pass away while employed by us. Life assurance cover is equivalent to 5 x annual salary.
Mental Wellbeing
You will have access to our Employee Assistance Programme with support and counselling options, and we have a fully qualified team of MHFAiders across the business.
Physical Wellbeing
We support your physical health with free eye tests, annual flu vaccinations, local and national gym membership discounts and a salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.
Financial Wellbeing
You can lease an electric car make savings on charging your EV through our salary sacrifice scheme too and benefit from savings of up  to 60% on the cost of an EV. We also offer season ticket loans for train travel and discounts on Vodafone products.
Social Wellbeing
You can join us for our regular company-wide events throughout the year. We also offer a paid Volunteering Day each year to colleagues
Reward & Recognition
STAR Awards
- Colleagues are encouraged to nominate fellow colleagues who go above and beyond and demonstrate / role model our Company Values. Winners of our STAR awards receive a valuable gift card as well as a trophy and are presented at our regular town hall meetings.
MVP Awards
- Also linked to role modelling our Company Values, our annual MVP (Most Valued Player) awards are presented at our annual conference as nominated and selected by our Executive Committee.
Spotlight Awards
- Any colleague has the opportunity to nominate another colleague in recognition of a recent success or contribution they have made where winners receive a small price in recognition of that nomination.
Long Service Awards
- We acknowledge loyalty and commitment and recognise long service at 5, 10 and 15 years with the Bank.
