HSBC UK Supports Scheme to Help Raise Awareness of Hidden Disabilities
Customers and colleagues can opt to wear a lanyard as a discreet signal that they may need additional support. For some, their condition may mean they cannot wear a face covering, while others may require seating or a calm environment.
Maxine Pritchard, Head of Financial Inclusion and Vulnerability, at HSBC UK said: “We’re delighted to introduce the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard scheme at HSBC UK as part of our commitment to promote inclusion and support all our customers and colleagues. The importance of this has been emphasised in the current pandemic environment, and the scheme is a brilliant initiative which will enable our colleagues to discreetly identify and give additional help to customers requiring extra assistance.”
In addition to making the sunflower lanyards available to customers and colleagues, HSBC UK is training its customer-facing colleagues to identify the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, gain a deeper understanding of hidden disabilities and learn how to approach and support customers with a hidden disability.
Maxine continued: “HSBC UK is committed to continuing our work to support our vulnerable customers. If you or someone you know, has a hidden disability and would like a sunflower lanyard, please collect one for free from one of our branches."
Prior to the launch of the scheme, thousands of HSBC UK colleagues became Dementia Friends as part of a partnership with Alzheimer’s Society and the bank won the charity’s Dementia Friendly Organisation award last year. Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends is the largest social action movement around dementia, with over three million members, changing the way we think, act and talk about dementia.
Morven Lean, Senior Strategic Change Manager at Alzheimer’s Society, added: “For the 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, managing money and interacting with financial services can become extremely difficult. We welcome further action to support more awareness of hidden disabilities, such as dementia, to ensure people can access vital day to day services with confidence.
“It’s great to see that HSBC UK is continuing to develop and launch initiatives to support customers and colleagues affected by dementia, so we can make sure no-one faces dementia alone and without adequate support.”
HSBC UK will continue to explore ways in which it can support all colleagues and customers with disabilities.
Media enquiries to:
Penny Edwards, HSBC UK | penny.f.edwards@hsbc.com | 07920419987
Email: UKPressOffice@hsbc.co.uk
For the latest news and updates, visit the HSBC UK newsroom:
https://www.about.hsbc.co.uk/news-and-media
HSBC UK
HSBC UK serves around 14.5 million customers across the UK, supported by 32,000 colleagues. HSBC UK offers a complete range of retail banking and wealth management to personal and private banking customers, as well as commercial banking for small to medium businesses and large corporates.
HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 64 countries and territories in our geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,923bn at 30 June 2020, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.
About Alzheimer’s Society
- Donations to Alzheimer’s Society’s Coronavirus Appeal can be made at alzheimers.org.uk/coronavirus-appeal.
- Via the Dementia Connect support line on 0333 150 3456, Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Advisers provide emotional support and practical during this difficult time. Phone lines are open 7 days a week. For Welsh speakers, our Welsh-speaking Dementia Connect support line is 03300 947 400.
- For up to date information, services and practical advice, please visit alzheimers.org.uk
- Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading dementia charity. We provide information and support, fund research, campaign to improve care and create lasting change for people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Dementia deaths are rising year on year and 225,000 people will develop dementia this year - that’s one every three minutes.
- Dementia costs the UK economy over £26 billion per year. This is the equivalent of more than £30,000 per person with dementia.
- Families currently provide £13.9 billion worth of unpaid care for people with dementia a year, which will increase to £35.7 billion by 2040.
- Alzheimer’s Society funds research into the cause, care, cure and prevention of all types of dementia. This includes a £50 million investment in the UK's first dedicated Dementia Research Institute.
press@alzheimers.org.uk 07802688774
HSBC UK Supports Scheme to Help Raise Awareness of Hidden Disabilities (3-page PDF 251KB)