The Chartered Banker Institute is a global professional education body for bankers, based in the UK.  Established by Royal Charter, we are a not-for-profit educational charity with a mission to enhance and sustain socially purposeful, responsible, professional banking in the public interest.  We do this by developing and supporting bankers’ education and professional development throughout their careers, in particular in the areas of:

  • Core banking skills, including credit and lending, and risk management
  • Professional ethics, culture and conduct
  • Digital finance
  • Green and sustainable finance, aligned with the UN Principles for Responsible Banking and UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Bank management and leadership

We are the largest UK professional body for bankers, with more than 35,000 members – individual banking professionals who make an ongoing commitment to developing their customer-focused ethical professionalism. 

We are proud to be oldest banking institute in the world, and proud to be the only organisation in the world approved by the UK’s Privy Council to award the “Chartered Banker” designation to members meeting the highest standards of professionalism.  Founded in 1875 as the Institute of Bankers in Scotland, our work today is as important as it was 140 years ago.  Our global impact and influence continues to grow, with members and students in over 100 countries worldwide.

To mark our centenary in 1975, we received our Royal Charter, recognising the Institute’s substantial contribution to developing the practice and profession of banking.  In 2018 we were granted a Supplementary Charter, acknowledging our wider, global remit and role.

Together, the Chartered Banker Institute and our members are proud of the professionalism we bring to banking around the world, and of the contribution we are making individually and collectively, to a sustainable banking profession.

Our Mission 

We are a not-for-profit education body founded in 1875.  Our mission is the same today as when we were founded: 

To serve the public interest by enhancing and sustaining the highest standards of customer-focused, ethical professionalism in banking.  

We have two key aims:

  • Enhance and sustain professional standards in banking

  • Enhance the quality and provision of banking education 

Our Values

The Chartered Banker Institute follows four core values that are the fundamental beliefs of the organisation and dictate our behaviour and actions towards each other and the public. These values are:

  • Integrity: We act with integrity and are responsible for our actions. We are honest and inspiring and do the right thing for our members, the banking profession and the public;
  • Innovation: We encourage creativity and new ways of thinking;
  • Collaboration: We proactively engage and cooperate with others to improve and enhance our decision making and our services;
  • Excellence: We do what we say we will, we set high standards and strive for quality in everything we do

Supporting Global Policymakers and Regulators

Our work as a professional education body complements and supports the work of global policymakers, regulators and others to develop a sustainable banking industry aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals, based on strong and universal principles of stewardship, prudence and professionalism.  We do this by:

  • Providing world-class initial and continuing professional development, professional membership and lifelong learning to help individuals develop and apply a professional, responsible approach to banking throughout their career, through a wide range of study programmes and professional banking qualifications; 
  • Working with banks and other financial services organisations to accredit and certify learning and development programmes that meet the Institute’s high standards, and are aligned with the principles and values we espouse;
  • Working with banking institutes in other countries, universities in the UK and overseas and with other educational partners to raise standards of banking education and training worldwide, especially in the areas of professional ethics and sustainable, responsible banking; and
  • Supporting our members – the professional bankers on whom the future of banking depends – throughout their careers

History of the Chartered Banker Institute

Founded

1875

Founded

We were founded in July 1875 as the Institute of Bankers in Scotland, with the aim of improving the qualifications of those engaged in banking and to improve their status and influence. Andrew William Kerr is appointed the first secretary. Annual Reports from 1876 may be viewed on application to the Institute.

The Scottish Banker magazine is launched

1909

The Scottish Banker magazine is launched

The Scottish Banker magazine is launched, now known as Chartered Banker magazine.

We celebrate our first 50 years

1925

We celebrate our first 50 years

We celebrate our first fifty years by reflecting on the similar assistance we have given to similar bodies overseas, many of which were established on similar lines, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hungary, India and South Africa.

HM the Queen grants the Institute a Royal Charter

1975

HM the Queen grants the Institute a Royal Charter

HM the Queen, on the advice of the Privy Council, grants a Royal Charter to us, to mark our contribution to banking education and continuing professional expertise.

Young Banker Launched

1988

Young Banker Launched

The Young Banker of the Year competition is established.

Continuing Professional Development is introduced

1995

Continuing Professional Development is introduced

The first (voluntary) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements are introduced. They are now mandatory for most categories of member.

Granted the right to award Chartered Banker

2000

Granted the right to award Chartered Banker

The Privy council grants the Institute the unique right to award "Chartered Banker" status to suitably qualified members. The Institute publishes its first "Professional Ethics" textbook, the first to be published by a Professional body in the banking and finance sector.

The FEP is established

2001

The FEP is established

The Banking Education Partnership (now the Financial Education Partnership) is established to offer education to school children provided by our volunteer members - one of the first programmes in the U.K. By 2012, the Financial Partnership was delivering more than 800 workshops to more than 30,000 school children, all free of charge.

CB:PSB is launched

2011

CB:PSB is launched

Responding to calls for increased professionalism following the UK banking crisis, we launch the Chartered Banker Professional Standards Board (CB:PSB) initially with 9 of the UK's major banks covering some 75% of the UK banking workforce. The CB:PSB develops the first Code of Conduct for UK bankers, and commences work on developing detailed professional standards. These standards will set out the knowledge, skills attitudes and behaviours expected of all bankers.

Accredited Body Status Granted

2012

Accredited Body Status Granted

We are accorded Accredited Body status by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA). International interest in aligning to the values of Chartered Banker grows, as the Chartered Banker programme is launched in Asia with the support of the Institute of Bankers in Malaysia.

Membership Reaches 30,000

2016

Membership Reaches 30,000

Membership of the Chartered Banker Institute reaches 30,000

Established the 2025 Foundation

2017

Established the 2025 Foundation

The 2025 Foundation aims to identify and support talented young people who would benefit from financial and other support to start to pursue a career in banking.

Chartered Body Alliance Launched

2017

Chartered Body Alliance Launched

Recognising our primary duty to the public of enhancing and sustaining professionalism in financial services, we launched the Chartered Body Alliance with the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

HM the Queen grants the Institute a new Royal Charter

2019

HM the Queen grants the Institute a new Royal Charter

HM the Queen grants a new Royal Charter, establishing our Institute as the Chartered Banker Institute, the UK’s professional body for bankers with growing global impact and influence.