Five minutes with... Everlong Wealth

How long has your firm been Chartered?

Since 2nd December 2022.

Why is Chartered status important to your business?

Our corporate Chartered status shows both current and prospective clients that we have made a public commitment to providing the highest level of financial planning services. It also reinforces customer confidence in the specialist advice and support we deliver.

With Chartered status widely regarded as the gold standard of financial planning, the achievement also establishes Everlong Wealth as an industry leader, as only 15% of financial planning companies in the UK currently hold corporate chartered status.

Chartered status has given recognition to the client-first approach that has always been at the heart of our independent financial planning firm.

What initiative has the organisation been involved in which has had a social impact/corporate social responsibility focus on?

We actively promote financial planning as a discipline, with the aim of informing and inspiring the next generation of financial advisers. Three of our team lead guest lectures at Coventry University, which has led students to join Everlong in graduate positions after their studies.

Our Operations Director was a member of the Insurance Institute of Coventry from 2005 to 2018, where he served as Institute President and careers secretary for a period of time. This role involved going into schools and colleges to encourage young people to consider careers in financial planning.

We are also proud to host financial wellness seminars for the benefit of our corporate clients as well as connections of the company.

How do you ensure your employees remain at the forefront of their profession?

Our team members at Everlong Wealth are involved in a variety of educational initiatives, within the financial planning industry and beyond it.

How have you implemented the CII Code of Ethics into your business?

Everlong’s long standing values are well aligned with the CII Code of Ethics and, as a result, we have not been required to make any drastic changes to our service delivery.

What advice would you give a firm who is considering applying to become Chartered?

Do not hesitate – do it! In our experience, clients appreciate the reassurance that accreditation provides. It gives your firm credibility. The Chartered badge represents the highest professional standards in the financial planning industry, and it is an effective way to show clients that your firm is leading the way in conduct and technical knowledge, in addition to acquiring skills in line with market standards.

The support you will receive through the CII on your journey to becoming chartered is also a bonus. Personally, we have benefited greatly from the CII’s excellent apprenticeship scheme and now have three talented apprentices within our team.

The more chartered firms there are, the stronger and more successful our profession becomes.