Oschadbank Joined the Discussion Of the National Law Draft On Creating a Barrier-Free Society

Oschadbank has indroduced the financial sector’s practical perspective on accessibility during a public presentation and discussion of the draft Law of Ukraine “On the Basic Principles of State Policy for the Creation of an Barrier-Free Society in Ukraine”, which was drawn up by the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine (MinRegion).

“While accessibility began as a social initiative 10 years ago, nowadays it is becoming a business standard. The key idea behind accessibility is to see the person. That is why business need to remember that their customer base is becoming increasingly diverse: it includes people with unique civil and veteran experiences as well as  people who turn to us in differing psychological and emotional states. Therefore, it is extremely important to regularly “walk the customer’s journey” and analyse feedback, - noted Yulia Moroz, the Director of the Retail Sales Department at Oschadbank. - Over 10% of Ukraine’s population are people with disabilities. After the war, there will be between 4 and 6 million veterans and their family members. This is a huge customer segment with which companies must build a dialogue, and at the same time, it represents a massive labour resource for them.”

The draft law being drawn up by the Ministry of Regional Development aims to move from isolated initiatives to a systematic state policy that will set out clear accessibility rules for citizens, the state, local communities and businesses.

For Oschadbank, which operates with millions of customers through its branch network and digital services, is important that the new requirements are easy to understand, consistent across the market and focused on delivering tangible results.

“Oschadbank has been the first in the financial sector to make accessibility a key part of its long-term strategy. Our journey began with the basic, yet critically important, physical accessibility of our branches. Today, Oschadbank’s products and services cover all six areas of accessibility, including educational, economic and socio-civic accessibility. We have created a comprehensive ecosystem of opportunities where every customer, regardless of circumstances, has unrestricted access to finance, knowledge and personal development. We have proven: accessibility for Oschadbank means not just a project; it is our unconditional business philosophy , - emphasised Yulia Moroz, - After all, true strategic leadership comes from the ability to see the bigger picture.”

The draft law was presented on September 24 in Kyiv, featuring speeches and themed panel discussions.

During the panels entitled ‘Barrier-free Business: Rules, responsibilities, opportunities’, the participants debated the implementation of transitional mechanisms, the allocation of responsibilities between property owners and tenants, as well as the upgrading of outdated infrastructure.

All proposals, including Oschadbank’s expert opinion, will be taken into account during the further development of the draft  and its incorporation into the final text of the law.