There are a variety of ways that members can engage with their building society.
This includes joining member panels, attending and voting at the Annual General Meeting, or coming along to one of the many events held by building societies such as a 'meet the directors' event.
Member panels
There are two types of panels used by building societies. The first type of panel comprises a large group of members, and is now typically conducted online. This larger panel is typically open to all members who wish to take part and can therefore consist of thousands of participants.The second is a group comprised of a small number of members, perhaps no more than 15 people. Typically the group will meet in person on a regular basis, and a senior member of the society’s management team will often attend.
Scottish Building Society have an online member panel, with members being contacted four times a year to canvas views on product development, marketing communications and charitable initiatives. The surveys are kept short and relevant to their members and achieves an 80% response rate.
Questionnaires and surveys
As well as feedback given to staff, building societies also use surveys and questionnaires to obtain a deeper understanding of their members’ needs. This helps them shape all aspects of the organisation from top level strategy, testing products and services, to helping improve customer service levels.
Roadshows
Member roadshows or ‘Meet the Director’ sessions are popular events hosted by building societies where the public can meet the management team or the directors of the board, including the CEO. These events give members a chance to be updated on developments and have an opportunity to ask questions.
Yorkshire building society holds a regular 'Member Question Time'. Over 6,000 members are invited and provides them with opportunity to find out how the society is looking after their interests direct from senior management, and for the Society to find out what really matters to members.
Corporate governance
One of the most important ways members can exercise control of their society is by participating at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). At this meeting all eligible members are entitled to cast a vote to elect directors to the board and to vote on other resolutions. In 2019, 40.0% of votes were cast online, a significant increase from the 33.5% in 2018.
To understand more about your rights as a building society member, please download our guide
AGM voting results
The tables below show average, and individual society AGM voting results for 2019. Further information on voting results for each building society can be found by clicking the link to the the individual societies website.
Historical AGM data in excel format can be downloaded here
| Society |
Votes cast as % of eligible members |
Annual Accounts |
Reappoint Auditors |
Directors' Remuneration Report |
Election of Directors (avg) |
Link to society website |
| Average |
12.6% |
98.6% |
94.6% |
91.8% |
95.7% |
- |
| Bath |
13.4% |
98.5% |
94.6% |
89.9% |
94.1% |
|
| Beverley |
13.3% |
97.4% |
92.9% |
94.9% |
89.4% |
Click here |
| Buckinghamshire |
15.2% |
97.2% |
91.4% |
83.9% |
92.3% |
Click here |
| Cambridge |
8.7% |
98.8% |
96.9% |
94.5% |
97.7% |
Click here |
| Chorley |
15.2% |
98.3% |
94.4% |
90.5% |
95.2% |
Click here |
| Coventry |
11.4% |
99.2% |
96.6% |
92.5% |
97.1% |
Click here |
| Cumberland |
18.1% |
99.8% |
99.4% |
98.3% |
99.3% |
Click here |
| Darlington |
11.4% |
99.1% |
97.4% |
93.8% |
97.3% |
|
| Dudley |
9.1% |
98.4% |
95.6% |
92.6% |
95.4% |
Click here |
| Earl Shilton |
13.3% |
98.2% |
96.1% |
89.1% |
95.0% |
Click here |
| Ecology |
19.8% |
99.4% |
87.4% |
94.5% |
97.2% |
|
| Furness |
14.9% |
99.0% |
90.6% |
95.7% |
95.9% |
|
| Hanley Economic |
18.2% |
99.1% |
96.4% |
95.2% |
97.6% |
Click here |
| Harpenden |
16.1% |
97.6% |
93.2% |
90.2% |
n/a |
|
| Hinckley & Rugby |
12.4% |
98.8% |
94.8% |
92.2% |
95.6% |
Click here |
| Ipswich |
12.4% |
98.9% |
95.2% |
92.6% |
96.7% |
Click here |
| Leeds |
13.5% |
99.1% |
96.3% |
90.6% |
96.5% |
Click here |
| Leek United |
14.9% |
99.0% |
96.3% |
94.4% |
96.8% |
Click here |
| Loughborough |
11.4% |
97.8% |
93.9% |
88.6% |
94.1% |
Click here |
| Manchester |
13.9% |
96.9% |
93.3% |
84.8% |
91.3% |
Click here |
| Mansfield |
15.3% |
98.9% |
94.4% |
89.9% |
95.0% |
Click here |
| Market Harborough |
9.2% |
97.8% |
88.9% |
93.7% |
94.7% |
Click here |
| Marsden |
16.3% |
98.9% |
96.9% |
94.8% |
97.6% |
|
| Melton Mowbray |
12.0% |
98.5% |
94.7% |
91.5% |
95.1% |
Click here |
| Monmouthshire |
n/k |
98.7% |
95.6% |
91.8% |
96.2% |
|
| National Counties |
14.0% |
98.1% |
91.0% |
84.4% |
94.0% |
Click here |
| Nationwide |
7.0% |
98.8% |
96.6% |
91.1% |
96.2% |
Click here |
| Newbury |
12.1% |
99.4% |
96.4% |
92.3% |
97.2% |
Click here |
| Newcastle |
9.9% |
99.0% |
95.6% |
91.5% |
95.8% |
Click here |
| Nottingham |
11.2% |
98.9% |
96.6% |
91.5% |
96.4% |
Click here |
| Penrith |
11.4% |
98.3% |
95.4% |
94.9% |
97.3% |
Click here |
| Principality |
8.8% |
98.6% |
96.2% |
91.4% |
96.8% |
Click here |
| Progressive |
9.5% |
99.6% |
98.3% |
95.7% |
98.1% |
|
| Saffron |
6.9% |
97.8% |
93.0% |
87.1% |
94.2% |
|
| Scottish |
11.9% |
98.4% |
93.2% |
87.6% |
93.8% |
Click here |
| Skipton |
9.8% |
99.1% |
96.6% |
90.8% |
96.1% |
Click here |
| Stafford Railway |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Swansea |
16.3% |
98.8% |
95.3% |
95.0% |
97.7% |
Click here |
| Teachers |
14.4% |
96.6% |
81.8% |
89.8% |
89.7% |
|
| Tipton & Coseley |
14.5% |
99.2% |
97.2% |
95.8% |
97.8% |
Click here |
| Vernon |
9.4% |
99.3% |
94.7% |
92.9% |
96.4% |
|
| West Bromwich |
8.4% |
99.0% |
95.6% |
91.0% |
96.2% |
Click here |
| Yorkshire |
10.2% |
99.1% |
96.0% |
91.9% |
96.5% |
Click here |
This factsheet takes examples from the 2015 BSA report Engaging Conversations.