Standard Chartered

An international bank headquartered in London, with UK apprenticeships, summer internships and a graduate programme.

About Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered is an international bank, focused mainly on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with a major base in London. It helps companies, institutions and wealthy individuals with banking, trade, payments, lending and investment. Its UK careers page says London is the headquarters for its Europe and Americas business, a hub for corporate and investment banking, and home to a significant private banking business. It says it has colleagues in 55 markets.

The bank was formed in 1969 by the merger of two older banks. The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China was founded in London in 1853 under a royal charter from Queen Victoria, with James Wilson helping to found it, and opened to clients in Mumbai, Kolkata and Shanghai in 1858. The Standard Bank of British South Africa was formed in 1862, led by John Paterson. Many group functions are also UK-based, according to its UK page.

Its purpose, in its own words, is "to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity", and its brand promise is "here for good". It lists three behaviours it wants from people: do the right thing, never settle, and better together. The chairman has called it a "Bank with a soul". These are the bank's own descriptions and we have no independent check of them.

Main businesses include corporate and investment banking, private banking and wealth, and banking for everyday customers in its core markets. It presents itself as "digital with a human touch" and has an innovation unit called SC Ventures. Teams work in areas such as markets, risk, technology, finance, operations and client coverage.

We found no first-hand description of day-to-day working life in the UK, so ask about it at open days and interviews. The bank describes its culture as inclusive and says diversity supports new ideas. It lists three UK routes. The apprenticeship is described as "a great alternative for those not wanting to go to university" and is an 'earn while you learn' route combining on-the-job and classroom training. The summer internship gives real-world work with a possible job offer and is a "pipeline into our graduate programme". The graduate programme runs over a year and is described as a collaborative learning experience across functions. Programme lengths for the internship and apprenticeship, pay and entry rules were not on the page we read; they are covered on its FAQ page.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Banking services for large companies and institutions.', 'title': 'Corporate and investment banking'}
• {'desc': 'Banking and wealth services for wealthy individuals.', 'title': 'Private banking'}
• {'desc': 'Earn while you learn alternative to university.', 'title': 'Apprenticeship'}
• {'desc': 'Summer internship feeding into a year-long graduate programme.', 'title': 'Internship and graduate programme'}

Key facts

• Formed in 1969 from banks founded in 1853 and 1862
• London is HQ for Europe and Americas business
• Colleagues in 55 markets (own figure)
• Purpose: "to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity"
• Apprenticeship, internship and graduate programme offered in the UK

Website: www.sc.com