TL;DR: Building a Global Bank’s Website on WordPress
Standard Chartered Bank successfully revamped its global website using WordPress, balancing security, scalability, and localization to support 70+ markets in 30+ languages.
• Why WordPress? Its flexibility, cost-efficiency, and scalability replaced an outdated CMS, making innovation faster and cheaper.
• How was security achieved? SOC 2 certification, custom permissions, and real-time vulnerability monitoring ensured banking-grade protection.
• Multilingual strategy: A unique multisite setup allowed tailored, human-translated content for regional relevance.
This case shows WordPress is suitable for even the most conservative industries, urging entrepreneurs to embrace modular, community-backed platforms for agility. Ready to modernize your approach?
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A Deep Dive into Building a Global Bank’s Website Using WordPress
Building a global bank’s website is no small endeavor. Imagine integrating banking-grade security, regulatory compliance, scalability, and 30+ languages, all while ensuring a seamless user experience. This is precisely what Tom Willmot and Jon Ang from Human Made achieved for Standard Chartered Bank. Drawing from years of leadership in delivering enterprise-grade WordPress solutions, their journey spotlights how agile open-source platforms can meet the high-stakes needs of a global financial institution.
As a founder deeply passionate about tech and gamification, I can’t help but see parallels between how this mammoth project was architected and the strategic decision-making necessary in startups. In this article, I’ll unpack their process through the lens of practical entrepreneurship lessons, offering you scalable insights to build user-first and resilient solutions for your own ventures.
Why Did Standard Chartered Bank Choose WordPress?
When Standard Chartered approached Human Made, they were grappling with a legacy proprietary CMS. A clunky system with high costs, zero flexibility, and a reliance on external vendors made innovations painfully slow. Enter WordPress, an open-source CMS with a global ecosystem of developers, contributors, and agencies ready to evolve the platform far beyond its “blogging tool” origins.
- Flexibility: WordPress’s open-source nature allowed for infinite customizations and integration with existing banking APIs.
- Cost Efficiency: Moving from a closed proprietary system meant eliminating vendor lock-in and significantly reducing long-term maintenance costs.
- Scalability: With multisite functionality, WordPress could support 70+ markets with different languages and localized content while adhering to centralized control of core global branding.
- Security: Human Made tailored the WordPress platform with SOC 2 certification and adhered to rigorous banking compliance standards.
Entrepreneurial Lesson: Never let “scale” be an excuse to ignore modern solutions. Even traditional banks, among the most risk-averse industries, have embraced WordPress! Always question old systems and evaluate whether open platforms can enhance agility.
How Was Scalability and Security Achieved?
Developing a scalable, secure solution was central to this project. Banking websites require bulletproof security, the kind that withstands potential data breaches and cyberattacks targeting billions of customer accounts globally. Here’s how Human Made solved that:
- SOC 2 Certification: To ensure compliance at the highest level, Human Made adhered to policies like the Outsourced Service Provider Audit Report (OSP(A)R), the banking gold standard for data privacy and security.
- Custom Roles & Permissions: The website supports 500+ editors worldwide, all operating within strict governance workflows. Custom role-based user access ensured that data privacy was never compromised.
- High-Traffic Readiness: Using WordPress multisite, the website handles millions of page views monthly without breaking a sweat by leveraging cloud hosting paired with a robust caching infrastructure.
- Regular Audits: Human Made built monitoring systems to constantly scan for vulnerabilities, incorporating real-time fixes at every stage.
Entrepreneurial Lesson: Scale often starts with trust. Whether you’re building a SaaS platform or an ecommerce site, your customers need to know their interactions with your solution won’t compromise their safety. Bake compliance into your foundation.
How Multilingual Challenges Were Overcome
Supporting 30 localized versions of Standard Chartered’s website required precision. Multilingual content management in WordPress is notoriously complex, but Human Made developed an impressive solution:
- Multisite Configuration: Each market’s website operates as a unique instance, allowing for tailored language configurations and localized branding while maintaining centralized control.
- Regional Autonomy: Local editors in different countries manage content independently, which ensures cultural and linguistic relevance for users in each region.
- Translation Workflow: Instead of using auto-translation tools (often inadequate for legal and financial content), teams rely on human translation and rigorous sign-off workflows to maintain accuracy.
Entrepreneurial Lesson: Localization is key to growing globally. But don’t trust shortcuts, automating translations may save time, but it will harm credibility. Tailor your offerings for the unique needs of your target regions or markets.
How Does This Relate to Founders?
As entrepreneurs, we often battle the tension between growth and perfection. Standard Chartered’s story shows us that agility, customization, and responsiveness to market needs can drive major results without breaking the bank (pun intended). Here are three connected lessons any founder can apply:
- Go Modular: Like WordPress’s block editor, structuring your product or service into modular components allows for innovation and easy upgrades.
- Leverage Open Ecosystems: Don’t reinvent what exists. Take advantage of widely-used, community-supported tools and focus on your unique value proposition.
- Iterate Publicly: Standard Chartered didn’t wait for perfection, they worked in sprints, continually improving over years. Start small, and evolve rapidly with customer feedback.
In sum, this project underscores that with the right mindset, even traditionally conservative industries can embrace bold, transformative solutions.
What Next for WordPress in the Enterprise Space?
This case study proves the ever-expanding potential of WordPress in the enterprise space. From NASA to the New York Times, WordPress has grown beyond a publishing tool into a viable infrastructure for the Fortune 500. And if a global financial powerhouse like Standard Chartered can trust WordPress to run its core digital platform, it’s only a matter of time before other industries follow. Your question should be: How can I leverage this versatile platform for my business?
Are you ready to bet on open source for growth?
FAQ on Building a Global Bank's Website Using WordPress
Why did Standard Chartered choose WordPress for their global website?
Standard Chartered selected WordPress due to its cost-efficiency, flexibility, and scalability. The bank was transitioning from a legacy proprietary CMS that was expensive, inflexible, and heavily dependent on external vendors, which hampered innovation. WordPress, as an open-source CMS, offered limitless opportunities for customization and had a vast ecosystem of developers and plugins. Its scalability through the multisite feature allowed the bank to manage content for 70+ markets while maintaining centralized control over branding. Additionally, Human Made, the agency leading the project, implemented banking-compliant security measures such as SOC 2 certification and custom workflows to ensure regulatory adherence and secure operations. Learn more about WordPress as an enterprise solution
How was website security ensured for Standard Chartered's WordPress platform?
To meet strict banking compliance requirements, Human Made implemented security layers such as SOC 2 certification, which adheres to policies like the Outsourced Service Provider Audit Report (OSP(A)R). The platform underwent regular security audits, and vulnerabilities were patched in real-time. Additionally, custom roles and permissions were built to allow 500+ global editors to manage content while ensuring sensitive data was safeguarded. A robust cloud hosting and caching solution ensured the platform could withstand high traffic without compromising on security. These steps collectively created a "bulletproof" infrastructure suitable for a bank of this scale. Discover WordPress security strategies
How did Human Made make the platform scalable for global use?
WordPress’s multisite functionality was the backbone of the project’s scalability. Every market’s website was set up as a unique instance, allowing for localized languages and content while adhering to global branding standards. By leveraging enterprise-grade cloud hosting paired with advanced caching infrastructures, the platform could handle millions of page views monthly without disruptions. This configuration also simplified maintenance and updates, as changes to the core framework could be deployed globally without affecting local customizations. Scalability was key to making the platform resilient and user-friendly across all 70+ markets.
What steps were taken to address multilingual challenges?
Standard Chartered’s website needed to support 30+ languages, a complex challenge in terms of both architecture and operations. Human Made used WordPress multisite to provide separate instances for each region, tailoring content and branding to local needs. Instead of automated translations, the bank relied on professional human translation teams and strict approval workflows to ensure accuracy and consistency, particularly for financial and legal jargon. Viewer experience was enhanced by providing culturally and linguistically relevant content in each market. Learn more about multilingual solutions in WordPress
How does this project highlight WordPress as a viable enterprise solution?
The case study of Standard Chartered’s global website highlights how WordPress has evolved beyond its reputation as a blogging tool. It showcased WordPress’s ability to support enterprise requirements like regulatory compliance, security, and complex, multilingual content management. The open-source nature of WordPress also allowed the bank to avoid vendor lock-in, significantly reducing long-term costs while maintaining flexibility for future growth. This success aligns with other examples, such as the websites of NASA and The New York Times, which further validate WordPress as a robust enterprise-grade CMS. Explore additional enterprise WordPress use cases
What were the cost-saving benefits of moving to WordPress?
Leaving behind their legacy proprietary CMS helped Standard Chartered significantly cut costs. The closed nature of their previous system required excessive spending on vendor support, while WordPress, being open-source, eliminated these costs. The globally-supported WordPress ecosystem also meant access to a competitive talent pool, reducing dependency on high-cost external agencies. Additionally, the modular architecture of WordPress resulted in reduced costs associated with developing and updating features. Over time, the bank achieved financial flexibility while enjoying a scalable and effective platform.
What entrepreneurial lessons can founders take away from this project?
The success of this WordPress implementation offers several lessons for modern entrepreneurs:
- Go Modular: Like WordPress’s block editor, entrepreneurs should prioritize modular product design to allow easy upgrades and scalability.
- Leverage Open Ecosystems: Avoid proprietary systems unless absolutely necessary. Open-source platforms often provide competitive advantages, such as flexibility and community support.
- Embrace Iterative Development: The project’s ongoing two-week sprint cycle shows the value of iterating and improving over time. Early market feedback should guide your development.
How was compliance assured in the website’s development?
Financial institutions like Standard Chartered face stringent compliance requirements. To meet these needs, Human Made embedded SOC 2 certification and adherence to OSP(A)R policies into the website’s infrastructure. Regular compliance audits ensured the system remained updated with global regulatory standards. By investing in rigorous workflows and governance, the platform maintained trust and avoided costly legal repercussions. Compliance was treated as a foundational element rather than a post-launch activity.
Why is localization critical for global banking websites?
Localization goes beyond translation; it ensures that websites are culturally relevant and resonate with their target audience. For a bank like Standard Chartered, operating across 70+ markets, this was essential. Local editors tailored the content to meet regional expectations, while globally-approved templates maintained brand consistency. By addressing cultural nuances and local regulations through properly localized content, the bank fostered trust and enhanced the user experience worldwide.
How can other industries adopt a similar WordPress strategy?
Industries like healthcare, government, and retail can replicate this strategy by leveraging WordPress’s open-source framework to address their unique scalability and compliance needs. The following steps make this implementation easier:
- Conduct a thorough assessment of your current CMS’s limitations.
- Partner with WordPress enterprise agencies like Human Made or 10up for expert guidance.
- Prioritize modular design and ongoing compliance audits.
- Invest in features like multilingual support and custom workflows to cater to audience specifics. Explore WordPress in new industries
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
