As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Gen Zers are increasingly prioritising banking that’s both ethical and sustainability-minded. Tomorrow, a challenger bank founded in Germany, positions sustainability as its top goal, leading the way for brands to merge necessary service offerings with values-driven behaviours.

As trust in traditional financial institutions declined after the 2008 crash, challenger banks flourished. Yet while emoji passcodes and bill-splitting features may have been key selling points previously, a growing number of Britons are turning to these platforms for ethical investment options.

The pandemic has given hygiene-friendly peer-to-peer solutions a boost – and they’re ushering in a whole new era of banking. Owned by Jack Dorsey’s Square, Cash App is a one-stop digital banking solution that’s attracting increasingly bitcoin-savvy investors, rappers included.

NatWest has added a carbon tracking feature to its app, allowing customers to see what CO2 emissions are linked to their daily financial decisions. As people seek greater clarity on their environmental impact, the tool looks set to help them live up to their eco aspirations.