As a mutual, Scottish Friendly strives to create wealth and provide assurance – for policyholders, rather than shareholders. The Glasgow-based firm has served its members for more than 150 years, delivering reliable returns that are reinvested for stakeholders’ long-term benefit. Scottish Friendly launched a growth strategy in 2006 that prioritised diversification and organic growth, and mergers and acquisitions have since been strong drivers of the firm’s expansion. Membership has risen to 594,000, and assets-under-management to an impressive £2.8bn. Scottish Friendly invites new members to take advantage of its suite of financial solutions and services, including life insurance policies, savings plans, and investment products. The firm offers back-office support services and bespoke insurance products for other financial service organisations through strategic partnerships. Its proven resilience throughout uncertain times has given Scottish Friendly a competitive edge towards meeting its growth objectives, with a large-stake acquisition in a major company anticipated by the end of this year. The company’s consistent growth is driving recruitment, and Scottish Friendly expects to increase its workforce by up to 40 employees during 2019. The Scottish Friendly team carries out comprehensive focus-group studies to identify its customers’ continuously changing needs. It encourages members to prepare for life’s unexpected twists and turns with insurance products that offer peace-of-mind, and to grow their wealth with savings and investment plans that deliver tangible results. It has an active outreach programme to encourage younger customers to start planning their future — now. The CFI.co judging panel has no hesitation in offering Scottish Friendly the 2019 award for Best Mutual Insurer (UK).