As part of a community strategy, as well as sharing profits through the annual 5% pledge, staff have committed to helping their chosen charities in other practical ways.
These include volunteering and fundraising, financial education and career enhancement, and making facilities available to community groups.
Niki Barker, the director of people and culture at Darlington Building Society, said: “As well having as internal conversations, branch managers and their teams spoke to members, reached out to other stakeholders in the business, and then linked in with all of the volunteering groups which support each area.
“County Durham Community Foundation has also helped us in identifying key charities and local causes that would benefit from our support.
“This isn’t just about one-off donations to different causes, we want to be more involved with our chosen charities by supporting them in different ways.
“The regional community is at the heart of what Darlington Building Society is all about.”
Louise Thorpe, head of direct distribution Darlington Building Society, added: “Our branches are the beating heart of the community, and staff have felt a part of the community spirit as they’ve gone out to speak to their local charities.
“We want to empower our staff to allocate their own pot of money where they feel it will make the most impact.
