In partnership with  One of the biggest barriers to AI adoption is not access to the technology but people's understanding of it. The BSA have teamed up with Microsoft to develop an AI Skills programme to provide trusted learning pathways, practical skills programmes and collaborative ways of working that will help building societies and credit unions to build AI confidence among employees, enabling the sector to realise AI's benefits while remaining purpose-led and community-focused. Following initial discussions with our members there is a strong appetite across the sector to collaborate on AI adoption, digital skills development and sharing practical experience, with several common themes emerging. These included the importance of responsible AI governance, developing workforce skills and capabilities, supporting culture and leadership change, understanding technology and licensing requirements, and exploring opportunities for sector-wide collaboration on non-competitive use cases such as regulatory reporting and colleague training. We invite you to this one-hour webinar to find out more about this initiative to see if your organisation could benefit from this programme. Through a fireside discussion, attendees will hear real-world experiences and lessons learned covering:   Establishing a clear vision and business case for AI Governance, risk management and responsible AI Driving colleague adoption and organisational change Identifying, prioritising and scaling AI use cases Building trust, managing standards and ensuring oversight Lessons learned and future opportunities for the sector The session will provide practical insights from organisations already progressing on their AI journey, offering attendees the opportunity to learn from peers, share experiences and explore what AI could mean for the future of the mutual sector. Whether you are beginning your AI journey or exploring how to scale existing initiatives, this session will provide practical perspectives from across the building society sector.

After another successful event in 2025, and responding to delegate feedback, this year's annual update will take place in London. The full-day event will include the latest updates and key topics with sessions being led by a range of BSA Associates and other experts. Aimed at: The event is primarily designed for building society delegates (finance, risk and regulatory staff and non-executives) but some content will also be relevant to credit unions.  Agenda: Economic overview Yael Selfin, Chief Economist, KPMG PRA update: Mutuals Landscape Report - one year on Jacqui Ashe, Head of UKDT Supervision, Prudential Regulation Authority BSA strategy futures work Sarah Harrison, Chief Executive, Building Societies Association Anthony Murphy, former Chief Financial Officer at Nottingham Building Society Mark Gilliver, Director, PwC Risk mitigation accounting Speaker to be confirmed Proportionality of SDDT under Pillar 2 Oivind Andresen, Principal, BDO Aiza Marie Sace, Associate Director, BDO Jenna Beresford, Team Leader (Capital Assessments Team, Prudential Regulation Authority (Registration closes at 17:00 on Friday, 9 October 2026) Cancellation policy "Great event, well attended and a good opportunity to ask open and honest questions." "Excellent well-run event, good speakers, great interaction, lots of questions and good discussion. Will be attending next year." "Have attended many of these over the years and I still find it a useful event to attend." "A really well curated and smoothly run event which provided informative and relevant sessions and plenty of opportunity for networking." (Delegate feedback from our 2025 seminar)

Open Finance will extend data sharing beyond current accounts to areas including savings, mortgages, pensions, insurance and investments. In this blog, Bradley Elliott, CEO of RelyComply, explains why building societies and credit unions should start preparing now, exploring the potential implications for deposits, product design and member journeys.

A free webinar hosted by RelyComply (in partnership with the BSA) A strategic briefing for building society CEOs, COOs and C-suite leaders. Financial crime compliance costs are rising faster than most can keep up with - and every society is tackling the same threats separately. Join the BSA and RelyComply for a focused executive webinar exploring what becomes possible when societies act collectively. We’ll introduce a shared platform model that enables members to combine their purchasing power and access enterprise-grade screening, transaction monitoring and onboarding technology - capabilities typically reserved for the largest banks. The opportunity extends beyond reducing costs. This model could help societies strengthen financial crime detection, accelerate onboarding, reduce manual effort and improve the sector’s collective resilience. Designed specifically for senior decision-makers, the session will cover: How the shared platform model would work The strategic, commercial and operational implications for societies The potential benefits of sector-wide collaboration Practical next steps for societies interested in participating

While the BSA supports the objective of improving debt recovery and reducing the tax gap, the response highlights significant concerns regarding the operational feasibility, implementation costs, customer impacts and regulatory risks associated with the proposed recurring deduction framework.

Stuart Miller, Chief Executive Officer of The Cumberland Building Society, explains why the mutual is making a public commitment to maintain a physical presence in all 31 communities it serves, and why branches still matter for financial wellbeing, local businesses and thriving high streets.