HSBC shares digital accessibility training

HSBC has confirmed its commitment to sharing established procedures developed in-house for digital accessibility with 1000 other companies globally, including financial services operations. Over 1.2 billion people worldwide identify as being disabled or neurodiverse, according to the bank.

Ahead of existing European Commission (EC) digital accessibility legislation due to be adopted in 2025 by non-EU countries including the UK, Norway, Switzerland and Canada, the bank is providing courses to non-HSBC employees, delivered both in person and over video communications platform Zoom. The purpose is to teach employees from other companies how to ensure their websites, apps and digital products can be used by everyone, irrespective of any disability.

Emphasising the extent of the issues covered by the pending law, Mali Fernando, group head of digital experience and accessibility at HSBC, says it is important to start considering the broader context of various disability issues such as the way in which neurodivergence, dyslexia and dyspraxia are calculated. “An organisation can truly feel comfortable and confident when it is catering its products, services and platforms to as wide a range of people as possible,” he says.

HSBC has also launched a digital accessibility apprenticeship programme for disabled and neurodiverse apprentices at the bank itself. Upon completion of the apprenticeship programme, each apprentice will be offered a full-time permanent job. Mr Mali says: “We want to be the world’s most digitally accessible bank, we want to be the bank of choice for disabled, neurodiverse and older customers, and we want to be the employer of choice for that same group of people.”

The HSBC courses target web developers, designers, content authors, and software and website quality assurance testers. The bank also provides self-directed online courses to its employees, featuring digital accessibility as a consideration in its procurement process to enable accessibility both by its customers and its staff.

Apps developed by HSBC include a facility enabling customers to use their face or fingerprint ID, or voice recognition to pass through security and access their banking facilities securely online, rather than having to receive and enter complex security codes sent to their phone. 

At a conference in London this month, the bank confirmed that over the five months since setting a target of training 1000 non-HSBC staff, some 400 people from 30 organisations have participated in the external training initiative, due to run for 12 months in total. 

Courses offered under the initiative include mobile apps; communications and social media; training in the best practice of applying web accessibility tool WCAG 2.1 AA and the ISO 30071-1 international standard to help create accessible websites; and examples of how HSBC teams have undertaken such procedures.

AbilityNet TechShare Pro 2023, described as Europe’s largest gathering of accessibility and inclusion professionals, was attended by companies participating or expressing an interest in participating in training, representing multiple sectors and companies based in the UK, mainland Europe and Australia. HSBC says it expects financial services companies to take part in future training sessions.

Speaking at the digital accessibility event earlier this month, Susanna Laurin, representative to the EU from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, stressed the importance of companies preparing now for the European Accessibility Act 2025, which was passed in the EU in 2019. The act, which applies only to digital technologies, requires certain everyday products and services to be accessible for persons with disabilities. 

Mr Fernando insists HSBC’s decision several years ago to pursue digital accessibility was made irrespective of any regulatory or legal obligation. “It’s simply the right thing to do,” he says. “We’re helping people manage their money. The ability to independently manage your finances allows you broader independence. We want to blaze a trail that others can follow.” 

Banks must offer their customers choices, he says, adding that banks take that responsibility seriously. “If you can’t manage your money, it really does have a limiting effect on your broad ability to manage your day-to-day life,” he says.

The purpose of the Accessibility Act was to make life easier for at least 87 million people in Europe who have disabilities, including many older people, and for those who have a temporary impairment. The new rules facilitate their access to such daily life aspects as public transport, banking services, computers, TVs, e-books and online shops.

A statement concerning the legislation from the EC says that for the disabled, accessibility is a precondition for participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Other banks undertaking their own initiatives in this area include NatWest in the UK, which recently launched its own digital accessibility team, working across the group to raise awareness of accessibility and the needs of customers with disabilities.