26 Aug 2009

The National Skills Academy for Financial Services welcomes charitable status announcement

The National Skills Academy for Financial Services (NSAFS) has been awarded official charitable status. This charitable status endorses the NSAFS’ commitment to creating through education and skills training, a better educated financial services workforce.

This charity status acknowledges the work undertaken and strengthens NSAFS’ role as the first and only UK financial services training organisation that is actively managed by the industry and its employers.

The NSAFS was launched in May 2007 with six providers in four regions and by the end of this year expects to have 30 providers across seven regions, working with more than 150 financial services employers.

Since inception, the NSAFS has been committed to raising skills levels and opportunities in the financial services industry, as well as helping consumers gain better financial skills through landmark financial education initiatives.

The charity gives companies a unique opportunity to be involved in creating and benefiting from flexible training solutions that support HR needs and can lead to business growth, innovation and better productivity.

NSAFS has strong governance and compliance procedure that meets all requirements to be a charity and its Board members will now become trustees.

Clive Leach CBE, Chair of NSAFS’ Yorkshire and Humber Board and National Board member, says: “Gaining charitable status provides a strong signal to our employers that the NSAFS is a trusted friend working for their interests.

This charitable status affirms the vital role that NSAFS is playing in development and innovation of skills, supporting individual career
development and business aspirations.”

Sylvia Perrins, CEO, NSAFS, says: “Our charitable status sends a strong message to the financial services industry that we are committed to working and serving their needs. We seek excellence in all our activities. We are not a private training provider which is seeking to make high profits but an organisation that is reinvesting in education. Being a charity will also help our work to help adults become more financially savvy”.

Notes to Editors

1. The National Skills Academy for Financial Services is a registered charity which was created with the express purpose of delivering worldclass education and training aligned with employer needs in the financial services industry to people of all age groups and learning backgrounds, helping them to prepare for and develop financial services careers.

For further information please contact: Sarah Evans-Toyne/Tania Vie Riba/Saira Khan (Broadgate) 020 7726 6111
or email “nsafs@bgate.co.uk”mailto:nsafs@bgate.co.uk.