Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, has launched major innovation-driven initiatives which enable self-service banking for people with disabilities (people of determination) in the UAE. Led by its flagship advocacy platform #TogetherLimitless, the bank continues to drive the financial inclusion of people with disabilities (people of determination) in the UAE with the aim to make Dubai a disability-friendly city by 2020.

Emirates NBD has introduced a Braille-enabled account opening service to empower its customers with visual disabilities in conducting independent transactions. The technology converts account opening forms and personal information into either English or Arabic Braille, and allows customers to independently review and provide consent on their experience, instead of relying on external assistance.

The bank has also piloted the implementation of a hearing loop in its Jumeirah branch to offer customers with hearing disabilities an improved and superior branch experience. A simple yet effective tool, the hearing loop cuts out unwanted distortions and noise to offer people with hearing aids an enhanced and more user-friendly branch experience. The bank also launched its first workshop to train thirty-six branch managers and service ambassadors in the basics of American Sign Language (ASL) with plans to conduct more over the course of this year.

Commenting on the initiatives, Husam Al Syed, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Emirates NBD said:" While in 2017, we focused on the physical transformations of our branch, this year we are taking additional steps towards addressing the specific needs of our customers to offer a truly superior and inclusive banking experience. We are grateful to our partners and customers who have provided their expertise and feedback on our testing programmes, and will continue to implement innovation-driven initiatives to further the financial inclusion of people of determination within the UAE."

Suvo Sarkar, Senior EVP & Group Head – Retail Banking and Wealth Management at Emirates NBD added: "Emirates NBD is committed to being the leading financially inclusive bank in the UAE as we continue to empower people of determination towards independence in their day-to-day financial lifestyles. Through our #TogetherLimitless programme, we have come a long way to enhancing the branch experience for people of determination in the country and going into 2018, will invest further in disability-friendly technologies which offer innovative and inclusive digital banking solutions for all our customers."

As a digital-led bank, Emirates NBD has consistently leveraged innovative technology to further the customer experience of its customers with disabilities. Earlier this year, the bank became the first bank worldwide to pilot 'KinTrans,' a technology that enables easy two-way communication between sign language communicators with hearing disabilities, and people who use spoken languages.

Since its inception in 2015, the bank's flagship advocacy platform for people with disabilities (people of determination), #TogetherLimitless has undertaken several initiatives for disability mainstreaming including launching the Careers Network to facilitate workplace inclusion of people with cognitive disabilities, opening twenty-five disability-friendly bank branches so far, 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 (people of determination) in the UAE. It also runs a long-term social investment programme, PRIDE (People Receiving Independence and Dignity through Empowerment), for people with cognitive disabilities that runs activities of educational inclusion, capacity building, and public awareness.