ANZ has unveiled its new Accessibility & Inclusion Plan, coinciding with the International Day of People with Disability. The plan aims to foster inclusivity in design, enhance customer and employee experiences, and strengthen community ties.
For the first time, this initiative extends to New Zealand, integrating accessibility across all business aspects. It emphasizes inclusive technology solutions and design by consulting people with disabilities during development phases.
The plan also seeks to improve employment opportunities through a disability leadership program and mental health prevention strategies like mental health first aid training.
Gerard Florian, ANZ Group Executive Technology and Executive Sponsor for Accessibility, stated: “ANZ’s latest Accessibility and Inclusion Plan sits within the context of the major digital transformation underway across our operations.” He added that these commitments are part of embedding accessibility into their digital future and hybrid working model.
Supporting this plan is research titled "Financial Wellbeing: People with disability or long-term health conditions," which highlights financial challenges faced by Australians with disabilities. Reduced earning potential and poor mental health contribute to lower financial wellbeing compared to the national average.
According to the research, 22% of Australians with disabilities reported having no savings versus 11% without disabilities. ANZ Group CEO Shayne Elliott emphasized: “The research provides a solid example for why a strong commitment to accessibility is important, given how Australians with disability fare with their financial wellbeing.”
Key findings show that Australians with disabilities score lower on financial wellbeing metrics than those without. Many face challenges in education and income levels but actively engage in budgeting and planning.
ANZ's commitments will begin in 2023 for three years, registered with the Australian Human Rights Commission. This follows ANZ's initial Accessibility & Inclusion Plan published in 2007.
The research draws from ANZ’s 2021 Financial Wellbeing Survey involving over 3,500 Australian adults, revealing insights into the financial circumstances of individuals living with disabilities or long-term health conditions.