Oschadbank Expands Network of Communities Where a Culture of Accessibility Is Being Fostered: Three More Regional Capitals Hosted Training Sessions on “Accessibility. Proper Communication”

Throughout July, two-day training sessions on "Accessibility. Proper Communication” were held in three cities - Kropyvnytskyi, Uzhhorod, and Dnipro - for employees of local governments and community officials. The training is part of a large-scale educational program initiated and implemented by Oschadbank, which involves representatives of local communities, local administrations, government agencies, and municipal enterprises, including those in social protection, healthcare, Administrative Service Centers, public transportation, housing and utility services, and urban improvement.

“At Oschadbank, we are convinced that accessibility begins not with a ramp, but with people and how we treat them. Our goal is not just to share our experience, but to help communities build a culture of communication where every visitor feels welcome. 91% of Oschadbank employees believe that accessibility is part of their daily work, and 96% are convinced that accessibility builds customer trust. We’ve achieved these results by systematically working to transform our corporate values and culture, and we’re now implementing inclusive standards across the board in our service delivery. We strive to have this experience become the norm throughout the country. That’s exactly why we launched this training program and are sharing our best practices,” said Anton Tiutiun, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Oschadbank.

He also noted that contributing to the creation of a barrier-free society has been part of the Bank's strategy and philosophy for over 12 years. Following the start of the full-scale invasion, Oschadbank conducted a review of its operations and learned from the experiences of countries that have faced challenging events in their history. The Bank consulted with experts and customers with disabilities and launched an updated strategy for promoting accessibility. Currently, all Oschadbank employees are undergoing mandatory training on this topic, and the Bank is now sharing these approaches with the public sector.

The strategic goal of this comprehensive training program is to establish a sustainable network of local trainers in barrier-free communication. The initiative is being implemented as part of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska’s program “Barrier-free Means When You CAN” supported by Tetiana Lomakina, Presidential Commissioner for Barrier-free Environment.

“Speech is a bridge that connects us with others. However, whether it is convenient and reliable or riddled with barriers depends solely on us. We choose our words, whether consciously or unconsciously, some of which are supportive and helpful, while others are repulsive, constraining, or discriminatory. ​The Oschadbank team is systematically striving to share its expertise, helping community representatives transform communication into a tool for support. This is a significant contribution to creating an accessible environment in Ukraine. I sincerely thank everyone involved in this project,” said Tetiana Lomakina.

More than 30 representatives of local communities and local government bodies participated in the training sessions in each city. Over the course of two days, training participants learned about the national strategy for creating an accessible environment and communication ethics: rules for interacting with people with visual, hearing, and musculoskeletal impairments, as well as mental health conditions; and the specifics of communicating with veterans and individuals with combat experience. The practical section of the training was of great interest - it involved practicing scenarios for providing services in state-run institutions when customers are people with disabilities or in emergency situations, such as when assisting a person experiencing an epileptic seizure.

In total, more than 490 people in Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa, Poltava, Chernivtsi, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Lutsk, Cherkasy, and Kyiv have already undergone such training and are now sharing the knowledge they’ve gained within their communities and institutions. Upon completion of the program, these specialists will become local ambassadors for accessibility and respectful communication.

Oschad is an inclusive, nationwide bank with high ethical standards, for which social transformation, where people are at the center of services and products, is a priority. That is why this comprehensive training program was launched, so that the best experience, knowledge, and practices can be shared with local government partners, those directly interacting with citizens.