Treating customers fairly is about treating our customers, as we would want to be treated as individuals.

Treating customers fairly is central to our socially responsible mission, and our belief that customers should be treated with honesty and openness. Treating customers fairly means listening carefully to our customers, understanding their needs, and providing products and services that meet those needs. It means not taking advantage of them by selling them something they don't need, simply because we feel able to. Fair treatment means being helpful to our customers, doing what we say we are going to do when we say we're going to do it, and honouring our commitments at all times.

In December 2008 the Financial Services Authority (FSA) initiative of Treating Customers Fairly came into force, it aims to improve the experience that customers face when dealing with financial services organisations. They set out six outcomes which companies must meet.

Outcome 1: Consumers can be confident that they are dealing with firms where the fair treatment of customers is central to the corporate culture.

Outcome 2: Products and services marketed and sold in the retail market are designed to meet the needs of identified consumer groups and are targeted accordingly.

Outcome 3: Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.

Outcome 4: Where consumers receive advice, the advice is suitable and takes account of their circumstances.

Outcome 5: Consumers are provided with products that perform as firms have led them to expect, and the associated service is of an acceptable standard and as they have been led to expect.

Outcome 6: Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change product, switch provider, submit a claim or make a complaint.