NatWest Group and the Disasters Emergency Committee

Client: Disasters Emergency Committee

NatWest Group (NWG) have been a long-standing partner of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) as a flagship banking partner within their Rapid Response Network, which commits to supporting the DEC’s collaborative national appeals for the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

In 2020 we faced a global emergency like no other. Traditionally, NWG had supported DEC appeals by opening donation channels such as over-the-counter giving in-branch and ATM giving; but funds raised via these channels were diminishing as the UK public increasingly moved to banking within digital spaces and the pandemic restrictions created further barriers. In response, NWG invested significant resource into launching the first UK retail bank initiative enabling the public to give to national appeals through their banking apps (including the appeal by DEC’s domestic sister charity, the National Emergencies Trust).

NWG customers donated an incredible £582,225 during the 6 months that in-app giving was live for the DEC Appeal across 2020 and 2021. This enabled DEC charities to provide life-saving aid to disaster affected communities in seven of the world’s most fragile places plus India during the coronavirus pandemic.

Building on this overwhelmingly positive response, NWG is launching in-app giving again in 2022 for the DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal.