Leading UK bank to sponsor consumer affairs conference

Posted 19/05/16

One of the UK’s leading retail and business banks is set to play a key role in one of the biggest events on the trading standards and consumer protection calendar. 

NatWest is sponsoring Consumer Day, on June 23, part of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s (CTSI) annual Consumer Affairs and Trading Standards Conference and Exhibition.

Consumer Day brings businesses, consumer organisations and the voluntary and community sector together to discuss consumer issues.

It will feature a discussion on public health, wellbeing and sustainability chaired by Channel 4 News health and social affairs correspondent, Victoria Macdonald.

In addition, there will be an opportunity for delegates to browse the consumer exhibition and take part in workshops on fraud and dispute resolution.

Leon Livermore, CTSI chief executive, urged as many organisations as possible to take part in the event that marks the end of CTSI’s three-day conference at Telford International Centre, West Mids.

He said: “Consumer Day gives consumer organisations and the voluntary and community sector the chance to engage with each other and the trading standards profession.

“Protecting people from scams and unscrupulous traders is something the trading standards profession takes extremely seriously and this is a chance for wider organisations to get involved.

“We’ll also be looking at the role of businesses and communities in terms of health wellbeing and the balance between regulatory intervention and consumer empowerment.”  

Les Matheson, CEO of Personal and Business Banking, NatWest says: “As one of the UK's leading retail and business banks, NatWest is delighted to sponsor Consumer Day at the 2016 CTSI Conference.      

“Keeping our customers' finances safe and secure is a key priority, and we are constantly working on innovative ways to protect them and limit the negative impact fraud and scams has on the health and wellbeing of consumers and society.

“In addition to our Secure Banking Promise we; actively monitor accounts for unusual activity,  encourage customers to download free Rapport software which protects their details when banking and shopping on line, and our NatWest MoneyClips educates customers on how they can protect themselves.

“Collaborating with industry partners such as Trading Standards, Get Safe Online, and the Home Office Joint Fraud Taskforce is vital, as are our Community Protection Advisors who, this year alone, have protected over £70m of customers money from fraudsters.

“By working together, we can make fraud and scams a thing of the past.”

CTSI is a professional membership association representing trading standards professionals in the UK and overseas - in local authorities, business and consumer sectors and in central government.

It works to promote and safeguard the economy and ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of consumers by enhancing the profession, empowering consumers and targeting rogue traders.   

Exhibitors at Consumer Day and the wider conference, which opens on Tuesday, June 21, include Citizens Advice, the Competition and Marketing Authority, the Furniture Ombudsman, Autodata and the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme.

For more information about Consumer Day visit http://www.tradingstandards.uk/events/consumerdayprogramme.cfm

Consumer Day is free but delegates should fill out the booking form on the website http://www.tradingstandards.uk/cdbook  and return it to [email protected]

Businesses or third sector organisations who wish to exhibit during Consumer Day should email[email protected]

ENDS

• For more information contact the CTSI press office on 01268 582240.
• Journalists and other media professionals who wish to attend Consumer Day should call the same number. 

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