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Initiatives for improving access to financial products for
disadvantaged groups of of the population
It is important for social equilibrium in society that all sections of the population are given equal
opportunity to access financial services. Disadvantaged groups include people with disabilities
as well as people who have, for example, linguistic, cultural or age-related barriers to overcome.
In all of our markets, we are endeavoring as far as possible to ensure that people with disabilities
will be able to enjoy barrier-free access to all facilities in the medium term.
Austria
Visually impaired users in Austria have the opportunity to switch the websites of the Raiffeisen Banking Group
and the ELBA internet to high-contrast colors. This makes the pages much easier to read for these users. The
web pages meet all standards in order to be read by screen readers. For people who have difficulty using the
website due to limited hand mobility, there are now larger buttons and images. A further significant improvement
was achieved through “Responsive Design”. This means that the website is automatically modified to suit the
end device. Raiffeisen Bausparkasse also offers its most important distribution partners, the Raiffeisen banks,
foreign-language folders in digital form.
Central Europe (CE)
In Poland, there is a provision by the Polish Bank Association (ZBP) regarding how to assist disadvantaged
customers in the branches. This was communicated to all branches by Raiffeisen Polbank. These guidelines
should help relationship managers provide a service that is more considerate of disabled persons. The
website already meets the standards with regard to accessibility for the visually impaired, and people with
limited ability to operate a mouse or keyboard.
Tatra banka, a.s. in Slovakia has already equipped all ATMs with independent and barrier-free access.
Except for those branch offices in the historic city center, all existing and newly opened branches are now
similarly accessible barrier-free. Furthermore, voice navigation for visually impaired persons and multilingual
navigation are standard features of every ATM. The internet banking system is adapted for the visually
impaired. The website and mobile applications also now include voice navigation for these customers. Every
change to the internet banking site or mobile applications, as well as to the website, is adapted for the visually
impaired, too.
In the Czech Republic, deaf or hearing-impaired customers can contact Raiffeisenbank, a.s. via the “Quiet
Connection” cloud platform, which makes use of sign language interpreters or real-time transcription of the
spoken word. This silent collaboration makes it easier for the hearing-impaired to obtain access to an account
and other financial products and services.
Raiffeisen Bank Zrt. in Hungary already implemented a responsive website in 2016 with integrated barrier-free
functions for vulnerable people to ensure the best possible equal opportunity. The Hungarian National Bank
also provides official information on the use of financial services for disadvantaged people, which can also
be found on the bank’s website.
Southeastern Europe (SEE)
In Albania, the ATMs of Raiffeisenbank Sh.A. offer Braille keyboards for the visually impaired and there are
also multilingual ATMs.
Raiffeisen BANK d.d. Bosna i Hercegovina has established specific rules for assisting people with disabilities.
The head office and many branches are barrier-free accessible. Most ATMs are also directly accessible by
wheelchair, providing there are no building obstacles, and feature multilingual operation in English and German
Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2017