Dubai - MENA Herald: His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman, Emirates NBD today marked the opening of the bank’s disability-friendly branch within Emirates Group headquarters.
The Emirates Group headquarters branch is the thirteenth in Emirates NBD’s network of disability-friendly branches, an important component of #TogetherLimitless, the bank’s flagship advocacy platform for financial, educational and workplace inclusion of people with disabilities (people of determination). The bank also announced plans to continue to add to its disability-friendly network which currently include branches in Jumeirah Al Wasl, Hamriya, Rashidya, Al Aweer, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Nad Al Sheba, Green Community, Oud Metha, and Mizhar Mall, Jumeirah Beach Road, Umm al Quwain and Mankhool.
In its first phase of modification, employees of the Emirates Group headquarters branch will be trained on disability etiquette and the privileges offered to Sanad Card* holders. To enhance mobility access, the branch has been equipped with accessible low-height ATMs, teller desks and cheque writing counters. To provide people with visual impairment ease of direction within the branch, tactile floor indicators and signage have been installed. The branch also offers priority queuing and a dedicated waiting area offering an easier and more elevated branch experience to people with disabilities.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates NBD commented: “As part of our strategic and long-term commitment to the people of determination, Emirates NBD has taken the lead in transforming its branch network and operations to cater to their needs. Step by step, we are working towards transforming our entire institution to provide people with disabilities an enhanced and inclusive customer experience in addition to products and services that support their integration and independence financially.”
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed also urged greater private sector participation adding, “As our nation prepares to receive millions of visitors, we urge others in the private sector to join our efforts in supporting Dubai’s goal of being a disability-friendly city by 2020. It is only through the empowerment of all segments of society can we truly achieve complete financial and social inclusion.”
Emirates NBD also offers Braille currency issued by the Central Bank of the UAE, in its Jumeirah branch to empower customers with visual disabilities and offer them the independence of processing their own branch transactions.
Emirates NBD’s commitment to people with disabilities (people of determination) supports the ‘#MyCommunity’ initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council that aims to transform Dubai to a disability-friendly city by 2020. Under #TogetherLimitless, its flagship advocacy program, the bank has undertaken several initiatives in the past year to foster the sustainable long-term improvement and integration of people with disabilities into the community, including launching the Careers Network to facilitate workplace inclusion of people with cognitive disabilities, opening disability-friendly bank branches, promoting financial inclusion by offering Sanad card holders (privilege access card developed by CDA for people with disabilities) the Emirates NBD ‘Beyond from Personal Banking’ package, exempt of minimum salary as well as publishing a research report on the banking and financial habits and attitudes of people with disabilities in the UAE.
The advocacy platform won the Arabia CSR Awards in the Partnerships and Collaborations category in 2015 for its strategic partnership with Manzil’s PRIDE (People Receiving Independence and Dignity through Empowerment) programme and was recognised by The Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (People of Determination), chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for its efforts in disability mainstreaming and initiatives that focus on financial, educational and workplace inclusion.
