Accessible Banking

• As Alternatif Bank, we adopt a “rights-based” approach that advocates the use of all services we offer in a way that is equally and easily accessible to everyone, including the most disadvantaged.
  
• Accessible Banking approach, which is fully in line with the United Nations' “Leave No One Behind” principle, also offers significant gains in terms of financial inclusion.
  

• We carry out our work under the consultancy of academicians and civil society representatives, each of whom is an expert in their own field.
  
• We increase the awareness and knowledge level of our competent human resources.
  

• When we started our work, we focused on increasing the awareness, knowledge and competencies of our employees, first and foremost. For this purpose, we created the Language and Perspective Union training contents with the support of our Advisory Board. In these trainings, we provided a deep knowledge sharing from the rights-based approach to the points to be considered in approach and communication to individuals from different disability groups.

• We plan to create the largest content library in Turkey in this field by further developing the content such as awareness-raising videos, informative training contents, accessibility guides, Ideathon records, which we have created so far, with studies such as podcast series, accessible banking terms dictionary.
  

• Our aim is not only to be an institution that implements the rules in the field of Accessible Banking, but also to be a pioneer in a mentality change in our sector.
  

• We use the innovative perspectives of young people to create solutions. In this direction, we have been organizing Hackathon and Ideathon activities for university students since 2020. In the last 3 years, we have reached thousands of students from tens of universities, enabling them to meet the rights-based approach towards the disabled, and we also had the opportunity to implement the creative ideas put forward by the teams that made it to the finals.

Branch and ATM Services

• There is a braille alphabet guide at our branch entrances.
  
• There is an "emergency call button" at the branch entrances.
  
• Branch signage and lighting are positioned in accordance with EyeBrand standards.
  
• At the entrances of the branches, a ramp is located for the orthopedic disabled.
  
• Braille alphabet directions are made in all hardware elements in our ATMs.
  
• There is a voice guidance feature that allows visually impaired individuals to make transactions safely from our ATMs.
  
• In our branch ATMs, screens and keyboards have been positioned to provide orthopedically disabled access easily and suitable for disabled ramps and wheelchair access.
• Technical conditions have been provided to enable individuals with visual impairments to operate with the resolution of ATM screens, color tones and menus.
  

Internet Branch and Mobile Banking Services

• Our website is alternatifbank.com.tr adapted to the accessibility programs used by visually impaired individuals.
  
• Technical development studies continue in order to make our internet banking and mobile banking platforms compatible with the accessibility programs used by visually impaired individuals.
  
• Our digital platforms have design dynamics that comply with Eyebrand standards.
  
•  Banking contracts, product information sheets, voice versions are available on our website.
•   The infrastructure we use in SMS and e-mail communications is compatible with screen reader programs.
• In our Customer Contact Center, our employees who know sign language are located.
  

Our Accessibility Efforts

• Almost all of the studies for the disabled in Turkey are “help-based” – that is, there is a superior-subordinate relationship between the healthy and the disabled.On the other hand, the most fundamental element of Alternatif Bank corporate culture is “Human Oriented”.
  
•  The Rights-based approach, which is a reflection of this, aims to provide a service model that everyone can access equally and easily. The rights-based approach, which opposes discrimination, believes that disability is related to the physiological or mental state of individuals, but the disabilities are caused by environmental factors. It accepts that every institution and person has duties to increase accessibility and awareness in order to eliminate these obstacles.

Our Awareness and Education Activities

• When we started our work, we focused first of all on increasing the awareness, knowledge and competencies of our employees on the subject. For this purpose, we created the Language and Perspective Union training contents with the support of our Advisory Board. In these trainings, we provided a deep knowledge sharing from the rights-based approach to the points to be considered in approach and communication to individuals from different disability groups.
  
• In addition, we created short 20-second videos highlighting well-known mistakes in order to remove social and cultural barriers in approaching the disabled. In cooperation with the Social Rights and Research Association (TOHAD), 9 videos that we created with the motto "Let's Remove the Barriers in Our Language and Mind" reached a total of more than 1.7 million views. By broadcasting these videos on digital screens in public transportation vehicles such as metro, bus, metrobus and ferry in metropolitan cities, we reached more than 4.2 million views.
  

With a prudent, advisory and responsible banking approach, we aim to place barrier-free banking at the foundation of our corporate culture.

For this;

In this direction, we direct our work under the consultancy of academicians and civil society representatives, each of whom are experts in their fields.