Lloyds TSB

Recognising and empowering people

To create an inclusive working environment we have put initiatives in place to address the specific needs of groups of employees. These include women in management, ethnic minorities, disabled, age diverse, lesbian, gay and bisexual, parents and those with other caring responsibilities.

We work closely with Employers Forum on disability to help inform and shape our disability work. This includes a personal development programme for disabled staff, a process to make work-place adjustments for disabled staff who need them, accessibility standards as an integral part of all IT developments and we support an employee-led network for disabled staff. [i]

Disabled employees

1.5% of employees have identified themselves as having some form of disability. [ii]

Product design and development

All of our new and refurbished premises are designed with the needs in mind of our customers with disabilities.

All of our branches have been audited for compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). We were the first major bank to provide comprehensive information on disabled access at each of the branches in the network and many of our ATMs via the national Accessibility database, DirectEnquiries.com.

Most of our Cashpoints include features which are recommended by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, such as audible tone prompts and keyboards that allow easier orientation. Customers with visual impairments can order large print or Braille statements free of charge and we can also correspond with our customers in Braille and large print.

We have developed large cheque books and templates that make it easier to write cheques, addresses and sign plastic cards. Note gauges that identify at a touch which bank note is which can be supplied and our customer brochures are available in audiotape, Braille and large print.

We provide a range of services for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing, including hearing induction loops in all of our branches, and British Sign Language interpreters can be provided free of charge through the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. Customers can use a fax to contact any branch and Typetalk is accepted on all telephone lines. We are the first financial services organisation to be awarded the RNID Chartermark for all our major customer facing businesses as recognition of services to our deaf or hard of hearing customers. [iii]

Lloyds CSR Report 2005

Sources

1. [i] Lloyds TSB CSR Report 2005, pp.4&5
2. [ii] Lloyds TSB CSR Report 2005, p.10
3. [iii] Lloyds TSB CSR Report 2005, pp 9&10