It was rated as the 17th best large company to work for in the UK– up from 67th place last year – the 24th best in the North West, regardless of size, it was also the 2nd most highly rated in Scotland and the 2nd highest in financial services nationally.

Describing the Cumberland as a “world-class company to work for”, Best Companies says: “The Society is an institution that holds dear its roots in community values. It is a vibrant, purpose-driven organisation that values its employees and the communities it serves.”

The findings carry added impact because they are based on anonymous feedback from the Cumberland’s colleagues, with an 89% response rate.

Best Companies’ findings have added credibility because they are based on responses from almost 90 percent of The Cumberland’s workforce. Colleagues were able to speak frankly because all feedback is anonymous.

As well as the star ratings for workplace engagement, Best Companies produces annual rankings of the best companies to work for.

Last year, The Cumberland was 67th among large employers and 12th in financial services, making it the highest placed large building society. It looks set to do even better when this year’s rankings are announced in November.

The Moneyfacts Awards is highly regarded with competition from some of the biggest players in the sector, including HSBC and First Direct. Rigorous product monitoring is carried out through the preceding year to determine the winners.

The Cumberland was shortlisted for four awards, an achievement in itself. The categories were: Best First-Time Buyer Mortgage; Best Fixed Rate Mortgage Provider; Best Remortgage Provider and Best Building Society Mortgage Provider.

This year, The Cumberland picked up the award for ‘Financial Services Sector Campaign of The Year’ for their PR activity ‘Supporting Scotland’s Hospitality Sector’.

On the same evening, The Cumberland was also proud to be shortlisted as a finalist for the ‘Community Engagement Campaign Of The Year’ award for their campaign ‘Kinder Kind Of Kitchens’.

Awards such as these celebrate the hard work and cross-team collaborations taking place internally at The Cumberland every day. Equally rewarding is to be acknowledged by others for campaigns that run true to The Cumberland’s core values. People, Planet and Community are front of mind when we set out to plan our campaigns. It’s who we are, and it’s in our nature.

The toolkit aims to promote understanding and support for those with conditions such as autism spectrum condition and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It includes stories from neurodiverse colleagues, strengths and challenges of neurodiverse conditions and benefits to the workplace, signposting to resources, and guidance on disclosing neurodiverse conditions.

The British HR Awards celebrates organisations which are passionate about delivering a world-class experience for their people.

There were more than 300 entries this year from startups to the public sector, to global companies, which meant even selection as a finalist was tough to achieve.

As a direct result of our customer feedback, in January 2024 we received the prestigious Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award for the fourth consecutive year, alongside an average Feefo customer rating of 4.9 out of 5. We actively encourage customer feedback and continue to learn and improve by using this vital form of information.

Borderway Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cumberland Building Society, is also celebrating after receiving the Platinum Trusted Service Award for the third year in a row.

As you’d imagine, we’re delighted with these awards, but by no means are we resting on our laurels. If there’s any issues you’d like to discuss with us then please email customerservice@cumberland.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.

A strong financial performance contributed to the win, as did the Cumberland’s rankings in the Best Companies top 100 companies in the Northwest to work for, and its commitment to communities, through its ‘Kinder Kind of Kitchen’ initiative.

The ten-strong judging panel with representatives from the likes of Cumbria Tourism, the University of Cumbria and Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, selected the Cumberland from a strong shortlist of other businesses.

Claire Deekes, Chief Customer Officer, said: “What we’ve seen at these awards is that what we have to offer in our region is nothing short of inspirational, so it’s such an incredible honour to collect this award on behalf of all of The Cumberland.”