Smile

Smile is a British internet bank wholly owned by the Co-operative Bank, which is a subsidiary of The Co-operative Group (the UK's largest consumer co-operative). Smile is based at the King's Valley Pyramid building in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The Bank was established in 1999 as the UK’s first full service internet bank. Smile was also the first British online bank accredited with Information Security certification under the international ISO 27001 standard. In addition, the Bank has won several awards for the best internet bank, best overall customer service, and best banking customer satisfaction.
Currently, Smile has about half-a-million customers and 95 per cent of them recommend its services to friends. The bank does not have a quote on the stock exchange.

As part of the Co-operative Bank, Smile operates under its ethical policy. The policy guarantees that the customers’ money will not be invested in any unethical businesses which is involved in the production of genetically modified foods, the arms’ trade, tobacco production, animal testing for cosmetics, etc. Instead, Smile invests in companies focused on sustainable ecology and renewable energies. The bank has typically informs its customers in view of regular policy reviews.

The ethical internet banking service 'Smile' has won the Guardian/Observer Consumer Finance Awards in three consecutive years.

The bank’s products and services are only available to British citizens in the United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). Smile offers the convenience of online banking, as well as 24-hour e-mail and telephone support.

Smile banking products and services include: current accounts, premium accounts; no-notice savings accounts, student accounts, credit cards (top rates), loans, mortgages, savings and investments, ISAs; online accounts management, etc.

Banking with Smile is quite easy. Customers may access all products displayed on the website, set-up bill payments and standing orders, transfer money, order foreign currencies and travellers' cheques, etc. New users may watch a helpful demo or read the user guidelines.