NatWest tells staff they can put pronouns on name badges in bid to make them feel more ‘comfortable’

Now NatWest tells staff they can put pronouns on name badges as bank becomes latest major company to signal the move in bid to make workers feel more ‘comfortable or respected’

  • NatWest is introducing new name tags that include people’s chosen pronouns
  • Options available will include  ‘he/him/his’, ‘she/her/hers’ and ‘them/theirs’
  • The changes will be optional and will be made available to 6,500 branch staff 

NatWest is the latest major company to allow staff to display their desired pronouns on name badges.

New eco-friendly tags will include the person’s name and their chosen pronouns, with options such as ‘he/him/his’, ‘she/her/hers’ and ‘them/theirs’.

Phonetic name spellings will also be available, the Sunday Telegraph reported. 

The changes will be optional and name badges will be available to NatWest’s 6,500 branch staff, who are also set to receive uniforms made from recycled plastic.

Marks & Spencer, the BBC and the Ministry of Defence already give employees the chance to state their pronouns. 

The bank NatWest will make the new name tags available to 6,500 staff at its branches in the UK

NatWest said the initiative was aimed at making staff feel more ‘comfortable or respected’.  

This follows a successful trial that was first announced by the banking group last year.

NatWest, formerly known as the Royal Bank of Scotland, serves about 19million customers across the UK and Ireland.

Last month, the Home Office sparked controversy after it told employees to declare their pronouns in their emails to make life more welcoming for trans people.

Staff working at the Visa, Status and Immigration Services department were instructed to say in their emails whether they are a man, woman or non-binary.

They were informed that the new rules on pronouns were taking place because of ‘the wider cultural changes’ taking shape in the department.