Banking institutions lead the way in terms of how much they give to charity, according to a new study.
Figures from the Directory of Social Change (DSC) suggest that the five companies that gave the most to good causes last year all belong to the financial services sector, in news that may surprise a number of banking customers.
And another finding was that the seven banking corporations in the list of top 25 givers contribute more money than the 18 non-bank organisations.
Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association, hailed the efforts that many banking institutions make towards the charity sector.
"Banks and their staff are the champions of charitable and community work," she said.
"These figures represent only the tip of the iceberg as far as banks' charity work is concerned."
Established in 1975, the DSC is designed to provide practical information to the charity sector as a whole.
The organisation runs a range of conferences, public awareness campaigns, briefings and training courses to charities in order to achieve its goal.
In addition, it also publishes referencing guides, journals and digital aids to educate good causes about how to work better and more efficiently within the sector.






