BBVA employees have set up a working group to study and encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace at the bank.
"Diversity through the inclusion of people with different abilities is one of the levers to achieve our purpose," says Joaquín Gortari, Global Head of Internal Audit at BBVA and a member of the working group. Including people with disabilities in companies adds value and contributes to building a better company. "By creating this working group, we aim to continue promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in our work environment, raise the visibility of this type of diversity, and foster a corporate culture that embraces differences."
People with disabilities offer significant contributions to organizations. "They bring a wide range of skills and talents and can excel professionally when given the opportunity," explains Gortari. Including differently abled people improves the work environment, encourages acceptance of diversity and non-discrimination, and dispels stereotypes. "Society is diverse, and incorporating these differences into the workforce allows us to enhance our sensitivity and design better products and services that consider everyone's needs," he says.
To address the needs of this community and develop action plans, the bank has facilitated the creation of an Employee Resource Group (ERG). This initiative embodies a form of intrapreneurship, where employees voluntarily and altruistically come together to promote diversity, foster affinity, and enhance the value of personal relationships.
A good starting point
BBVA has been working for years to build diverse teams that enrich the workforce, while seeking to integrate qualified people with different talents and skills who bring a different perspective. Initiatives launched in this regard aim to attract talent with diverse skills in different areas of the bank and raise awareness among the workforce.
A prime example is the bank's collaboration with Specialisterne, a social enterprise dedicated to the labor inclusion of people with neurodiversity diagnoses. This has allowed for the inclusion of people with autism and Asperger's syndrome in technological environments. Currently, 12 professionals with autism are pursuing careers in the areas of Engineering, Investment Banking and Data. The bank also partners with Eulen to recruit professionals with mental and physical disabilities as receptionists and concierges at its Madrid headquarters. BBVA also promotes internships for people with Down syndrome, which have been conducted for years across the bank's branch network.
In Spain, BBVA collaborates with the Adecco Foundation's Family Plan, a program designed to support families with a member who has a disability, to help them develop their skills and abilities. In the realm of awareness and volunteer activities, BBVA collaborates with several organizations that address different aspects of disability. The goal is to broaden these activities by including mentoring and financial training to enhance the inclusion of people with disabilities.
In Mexico, the bank operates an ambitious program to recruit people with disabilities to its branch offices. Over the past year, the bank has adapted its corporate headquarters with audible signage and tactile floors. This tool improves accessibility for employees who are blind or have low vision by facilitating their movements and providing them with better independence and autonomy within the office. In Türkiye and Argentina, the bank is conducting specific training to be able to serve customers at branches using sign language.