Your banking partner for life.

Backing locals since 1862

Today we provide banking services that meet the needs of over 20,000 personal, business and community banking clients in the South Island.

Our story begins back in 1862 in Whakatū, Nelson when a group of forward thinkers came together to create the Permanent Building Society of Nelson. 

With a rapidly growing population and scarce housing, our founders saw a chance to make a difference. The Permanent Building Society brought members of the community together to finance the purchase of land and to build houses faster than anyone could build on their own. 

Their goal was simple: to help people into homes, leading to stronger communities and brighter futures.  

We’ve changed a lot since those days. We operate under a different name and have evolved to become a full banking services provider. But we continue to put the community at the heart of everything we do and offer our clients banking services for every stage of their lives. 

In 2022, we celebrated 160 years in our community

Watch the video below created to celebrate the last 160 years in our community. 

Banking the way you want it 

We believe in placing an emphasis on building long-term, personal relationships with our clients. Every client is more than just a number to us; they’re part of our extended family.  

Whether you prefer doing things online, chatting in person at one of our eight branches or speaking to one of our friendly and helpful team members over the phone, we’re here, ready to help you every step of the way. 

And in a world where banks are closing their branches and focussing on 'digital-first' banking, we remain committed to our branch network, because we believe in the power of local knowledge and personal service, making decisions quickly and always with our clients’ best interests in mind. 

It’s why our clients stay with us year after year and why we have multi-generational families as clients. 

Meet just two families of clients that span generations below. 

Banking that’s mutually beneficial 

Unlike the big banks we're a mutual society, which means that we’re owned by our clients, not external shareholders. This means we can think differently about our profits. 

At NBS we invest our profits back into the business to provide service improvements for our clients and offer support to local community groups through our sponsorship and our community investment programme. 

Our clients love that we play a part in building stronger, more connected communities by supporting and investing in hundreds of charities and community organisations in the regions they live in each year. 

Over the last three years we’ve invested $3.6 million into our communities. 

Hear from just two of the hundreds of community benefactors below.  

Doing things differently 

Today we stand out as a stable and service-focussed alternative to the big banks. As the banking industry changes, our core values remain the same.  

These values push us to innovate in meaningful ways, support local projects that strengthen our community and to uphold the highest standards of honesty and service. 

Ultimately, we’re more than just a banking services provider. We’re a trusted partner on life’s journey, dedicated to seeing communities, families, individuals and businesses thrive, no matter what stage of life they’re in. That’s banking for life.