The banks that offer better rates and better ethics Ethical Consumer lists three building societies, Coventry, Cumberland and Leeds, as the top three ethical choices. All score 13.5 out of a possible 20. Hot on their heels come Metro Bank, Norwich & Peterborough Building Society and Nationwide. "Coventry, Cumberland and Leeds score well with our system because they have avoided some of the criticisms aimed at more mainstream banks," said Rob Harrison of Ethical Consumer. These range from involvement in controversial activities such as food speculation and funding Arctic oil exploration to financial issues like Libor rigging and mis-selling. As building societies, they also gain an additional point for having a not-for-profit structure. Coventry Building Society offers a current account that pays 1.1pc interest on your whole balance, although this includes a bonus for the first year of 0.85pc. This compares with nothing at all with the Co-op. The Coventry also boasts a UK-based call centre. To get the 1.1pc interest rate you must deposit at least £1,000 each month. Or you could try Nationwide's FlexDirect account, which scores 12.5 out of 20 on the ethical scale, compared with just 7.5 for the Co-op. Nationwide scores highly on customer satisfaction, too (Coventry is not listed in the Which? report), with 76pc of consumers reporting that they are happy with the account, getting five stars for internet banking and three for telephone service. The FlexDirect account pays 5pc for in-credit balances up to £2,500 a month if you pay in at least £1,000 a month. That rate is only for a year, but after that it reverts to 1pc, still far more than you get with the Co-op. Nationwide also has UK-based call centres and the FlexDirect account is free. According to Ethical Consumer, it is easier to find an ethical savings account than an ethical current account. This is because three big ethical providers - Charity Bank, Ecology Building Society and Triodos - are not active in the current account market. These three providers score unsurprisingly highly for their ethical leanings, although perhaps less so for their rates. The Co-op allows you to save in Britannia's fixed-rate bonds. These offer 1.9pc for two years, or 1.65pc for one year, while its easy-access savings account, Smart Saver, pays just 0.25pc. Charity Bank has an Easy Access account, although customers have to tie up their money for 33 days. This pays a rate of 0.5pc up to £25,000, and 0.6pc above this. Ecology Building Society pays 1pc on its no-notice savings account, also beating the Co-op, while Triodos offers an interest rate of 1.5pc for easy access for its Online Saver Plus. It is worth noting, however, that Triodos is not covered by Britain's Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but would be covered by the Dutch government if it went bust. This is unlikely, but something to bear in mind. Slightly further down the ethical scale, with 13.5 out of 20, it is possible to find better deals. Seven building societies hold this score: Coventry, Cumberland, Leeds, Newcastle, Principality, Skipton and West Bromwich. Some of the best savings accounts available from these providers include Principality's 30-day notice account, paying 2pc, and Coventry's 2.1pc Race for Life bond, where your money is locked away for almost two years. Isas The Co-op's Isas are easily beatable on rate, with Britannia's cash Isa paying 1.8pc fixed until next year, and the easy-access cash Isa paying just 0.5pc. However, if you have a current account with the Co-op you may be eligible for a far better 2.35pc Isa fixed for a year, or 2.6pc for two years, which is harder to beat. Ecology offers a 2pc cash Isa, while Triodos offers a 2pc 33-day notice Isa online. Of other providers with a high ethical score, Newcastle Building Society offers a 2pc fixed-rate Isa. Co-op mortgages include a 10-year fix at 4.69pc for those with a 25pc deposit, a 4.99pc five-year fix for those with a 10pc deposit and special five-year fixed rate for current account customers of 3.19pc. The Co-op's standard variable rate is 4.74pc. To compare, Ecology's variable rate is currently 4.9pc, and it offers no fixed rates or discounted rates. Coventry, which also has a high ethical rating, offers some good deals, however. For those with 35pc deposit or equity, it has a five-year rate at 2.85pc. For those with only a small 10pc deposit, Norwich & Peterborough, which scores far above the Co-op for its ethics according to Ethical Consumer, has a deal at 4.04pc for two years with a 10pc deposit. Most ethical current accounts, according to 'Ethical Consumer'  Coventry Building Society  Cumberland Building Society  Leeds Building Society  Metro Bank  Norwich & Peterborough Least ethical current accounts, according to 'Ethical Consumer'  Barclays  Ulster Bank  Royal Bank of Scotland  NatWest  Coutts