Season’s Greetings from Holden & Partners
As 2022 draws to a close I wanted to take a moment to thank you for trusting Holden & Partners with your financial planning; from those of you who have been with us since the beginning, nearly 20 years ago, to those new to us this year.
Saying goodbye to 2022
If we cast our minds back to January I think many of us were hopeful about a return to more settled times as the spectre of the global pandemic finally seemed to be retreating, but Russia’s subsequent invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis and ongoing political turmoil at home have caused uncertainty that has dominated headlines this year.
In the face of often gloomy news and additional pressures, I hope that you have found many reasons to be happy and positive this year. At Holden & Partners we are continuing to make progress on the things that matter to us as a team, being a company that works for people and planet.
My highlights this year include…
Making an impact
We were proud to publish our second Impact Report; this is an important part of being a B Corp organisation as it allows us to track our progress towards our sustainable goals. There are now 1,000 B Corps in the UK and we will always be proud to have been one of the first.
As part of our efforts to work more sustainably we committed to NetZero 2030 and published our Guide to Sustainable Investment.
We have been shortlisted and highly-commended for a number of awards this year, but particular highlights were scooping the top honours at the Professional Adviser Awards, being named Best Adviser Firm for ESG; and just last week winning Financial Advisor Team of the Year at the STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Planners) Awards.
Working with others
One of the things our team missed most during the pandemic lockdowns was being able to do things together. This year we have managed to get back to having fun as a team and helping Richard House Children’s Hospice in the process. We have completed a sponsored row-a-thon, held an office Master Chef event and volunteered in the grounds of the hospice.
Learning more
Behind the scenes we have been making changes to meet the ever-evolving realities of online security and we have gained Cyber Essentials accreditation.
We have developed a new position within our team and thereby created Financial Planning Associates, so that we are able to offer the best service to you by giving our advisers the right support, and in turn training the next generation within our team. The Financial Planning Associates will over the course of the next 18 months go on to become Financial Planners.
Looking ahead
We are excited about the year ahead as 2023 represents a significant milestone for us, 20 years since we established Holden & Partners. We will be taking some time to look at how far we have come, but more significantly, where we are going and what trends we are anticipating.
With warm wishes for the festive season and the year ahead.
Steven Pyne and everyone at Holden & Partners