Supporting the fight against poverty Sustainability

Inspired by the philanthropy of Angela Burdett-Coutts, the grand-daughter of Thomas Coutts, the Coutts Foundation supports sustainable approaches to tackling poverty in the communities where we work.

The foundation is an independent charity which awards grants to organisations who address both the causes and the consequences of poverty, and has a particular emphasis on groups who support women and girls in the UK.

Read about a small selection of our beneficiaries below, and visit our site to learn more about our support.

Supporting women and girls

Safe Lives

A national charity whose mission is to transform the lives of those affected by domestic abuse in the UK. Safe Lives helps women and children to stay safely in their homes through a combination of specialist types of support.

WomenCentre

Providing wide-ranging, one-stop support to women in Huddersfield and Halifax through their centres and community outreach. Services include practical help with debt, benefits, mental or physical health, domestic violence, counselling, and more.

Working Chance

The UK's only recruitment consultancy for women with criminal convictions. Offering a specialist employment service to both employers and to women in prison, on probation and out in the community, Working Chance empowers ex-offenders to become financially autonomous through employment.

Other causes

Living Wage Foundation

The Living Wage Foundation has been encouraging employers to pay workers a Living Wage based on the basic cost of living in the UK since 2001. The scheme – which employers join voluntarily – has put millions of pounds in the pockets of the lowest paid workers in the country.

Water.org

663 million people around the world – around one in ten – have no access to clean, safe water. Water.org provides innovative, market-based solutions that change lives every day through safe water and sanitation.

Ashden Trust, UK

It is estimated that one in four UK households struggle to pay their energy bills, putting them at risk of being unable to heat their homes. The rising cost of living threatens to drag more people into fuel poverty. The Ashden Trust showcases trailblazers in the field of sustainable energy, helping move toward a world where everyone has access to energy which is affordable and clean.