Our initiatives to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities

Last update: 29/11/2023

An accessible, diverse and inclusive workplace is where talented people with different skill sets thrive. Santander is committed to providing equal opportunity and promoting a working environment that is inclusive of persons with disabilities across our footprint.

Persons with disabilities often see a lack of inclusion at work and in education stand in the way of their talent and potential. In fact, Fundación Universia’s 5th Study of universities’ inclusion of persons with disabilities (in Spanish) shows that 60.6% of those surveyed believe finding a job is harder for them than for other students.

Marta Gallardo, from Santander’s communications team, chats with two bank employees who are big proponents of “Red Enable” community – Elena Gómez, Global Transaction Banking specialist at the Business unit, and Angélica Partida, Data Scientist at Santander Corporate and Investment Banking – about how to create working environments where talent and different capabilities coexist and flourish.

In this podcast episode of Santander te Cuenta, Marta Gallardo (External Comms) joins Global Transaction Banking expert Elena Gómez and Santander CIB Data Scientist Angélica Partida, from the bank’s Enable Network, to discuss how to create a workplace where talented persons with disabilities can thrive.

To counter this reality, Santander runs initiatives across its diverse footprint so everyone can have the same opportunities. They promote diversity and help persons with disabilities boost job skills and learn new ones through international scholarships, mentoring, internships and jobs programmes.

We work alongside Fundación Universia, a non-profit Santander organization, to increase career development and job training of persons with disability and to stimulate inclusive and sustainable growth. In Fundación Universia’s 15-plus years, we’ve allocated over 15 million euros to accessibility, education and employment initiatives for persons with disabilities.

A diverse and inclusive workforce

Our global headcount includes over 4,000 employees with disability. But there’s more we can do. That’s why we run initiatives to develop diverse and inclusive talent for everyone:

Enable Network: An internal community created by and for Group employees to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace. Its founding purpose is to tear down bias and stereotypes and share experiences, best practices and resources that will enhance quality of living and ensure equal opportunity for all people. Enable is active in our corporate centre and continues to grow across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the US and the UK, with almost 1,000 followers on the corporate social network and LinkedIn.
“DiverTechies”: This Be Tech! with Santander hiring initiative by the Group’s Technology & Operations department promotes the employability of technology professionals with disability.
Abre tus sentidos ("Open your senses"): This initiative encourages Group employees at our corporate centre to experience the daily struggles of persons with disabilities. Over 3,000 Santander Group City employees have taken part since its inception in 2018.

Banking services for customers with disability

In addition to our visibility and talent initiatives for persons with disabilities, we continue our efforts to make our banking services more accessible and inclusive.

Today our online banking channels, branches and ATMs are equipped with tools and functions for this purpose. Across most of our footprint, we offer an audio guide and Braille keyboards for visually-impaired customers.

Technology has been a powerful ally. In Santander Argentina, we have created innovative apps like Háblalo (“Talk about it”) to communicate better with people who have a hard time using banking services. A more diverse and inclusive future is only possible if we work together.