Last update: 03/12/2024

At Santander, we’re working to build an accessible, diverse and inclusive bank. We strive to make sure that our products and channels are accessible to everyone and promote an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities.

People with disabilities face multiple barriers in the workplace and education. That's why we run initiatives in the countries where we operate to promote equal opportunity both for customers and employees and make strides towards inclusive and sustainable growth.

We provide training to our employees on diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias. In addition, through Fundación Universia, we have invested more than EUR 20 million in scholarships, internship and mentoring programmes over the past 15 years to boost people with disabilities’ employability. In 2024 we launched our I Virtual Fair Spain, an event held in December and focused on bringing employment opportunities to people with disabilities.

A diverse and inclusive workforce

We have 4,700 employees with disabilities across our footprint and continue to run initiatives to attract and develop diverse talent. Here are some examples:

• Enable Network: An internal community created by and for Group employees to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities at the workplace. Its 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 at our corporate centre and continues to grow across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the US and the UK, and continues to grow with over 2,000 followers on our internal social network and LinkedIn, where it launched a year ago.
  
  
• “DiverTechies”: This community part of Technology and Operations of Santander promotes the employability of people with disabilities within the technological field and is framed within the contracting program “Be Tech! With Santander.”
  
  
• Abre tus sentidos (Open your senses): An initiative to encourage Group employees at our corporate centre Santander Group City to experience the daily struggles of people with disabilities. Since 2018 over 5,000 employees of the SGC and Santander España have participated in this experience.

Banking services for customers with disability

At Santander we work every day to achieve a more accessible and inclusive banking. We have developed tools and features, both online and in branches and at ATMs, to make life easier for our customers with disabilities. For instance, we offer an audio guide and Braille keyboards for visually impaired customers across most of our footprint.

Technology is a powerful ally in building a more inclusive future. For example, in Santander UK, where we have enabled a sign language translation service on the commercial website; or in Santander España, where we will train our employees in sign language so that they can give better attention in the office to clients with hearing impairment.

We also have “Háblalo”, in Santander Argentina, an app that subtitles those who cannot hear and gives voice to those who cannot speak. Through a simple process that starts by scanning a QR in our branches, our customers can access our products and services quickly and clearly. On the App they can write or dictate what they need.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

In 2024, as every year, we commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated on 3 December. In all the countries where Santander operates, we celebrate events and activities with leading figures from sports, art and interpretation to promote inclusion. The global disability rights movement’s slogan is “Nothing About Us Without Us”. 

For instance, in Brasil visually impaired photographer João Maia and actress from soap opera “Aruanas” Manu Trigo, who has cerebral palsy, held an event “Limitless skills”. In Chile, comedian Rodrigo Campos held a monologue “Disability with humour.” In Spain and Argentina, the event “Able bodies: Sexuality, Diversity and Rights” with Spanish actor and 2023 Goya award winner Telmo Irureta; Argentinian activist, producer and screenwriter of short film “Metro y Medio” Rosario Perazolo; screenwriter of Netflix series “División Palmero” Lucrecia Gómez; and others.

And for all Santander markets, our Global Head of People & Culture Javier Roglá sat down with Paralympic gold medallist Susana Rodríguez Gacio gold medal winner at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, with whom he will talk about how education, his effort and passion have allowed him to break down barriers and succeed in sports and medicine.