Instructions for Services Provided to Persons with Disabilities in Financial Institutions

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority Reference: Central Office of the Deputy Governor for Supervision Number: 41039051 Date: 1441/06/03 Attachments: 5 pages

Circular

Dear Sirs,
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you,

Subject: Instructions for Services Provided to Persons with Disabilities in Financial Institutions.

Based on the authorities vested in the Authority under its system issued by Royal Decree No. (23) dated 23/5/1377 AH, and the Banking Control System issued by Royal Decree No. (5/M) dated 22/6/1386 AH, and in light of the supervisory and regulatory role of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority over financial institutions under its supervision, and its efforts aimed at enhancing the humanitarian role of financial institutions towards persons with disabilities by facilitating and simplifying the means of providing financial services to this cherished segment of society.

Attached are the Instructions for Services Provided to Persons with Disabilities in Financial Institutions, aimed at enhancing the humanitarian role of financial institutions operating in the Kingdom and encouraging the development of financial services provided to persons with disabilities.

For your information, and to act accordingly within three months from the date thereof, and to provide the Authority with a plan for compliance with these instructions within one month from the date thereof.

Accept my regards,

Faisal bin Ibrahim Al-Shathri
Deputy Governor for Supervision

Distribution Scope:

• Banks and banks operating in the Kingdom.
• Financing companies operating in the Kingdom.
• Insurance companies, reinsurance companies, foreign insurance companies, and licensed free profession companies operating in the Kingdom.
• Credit reporting companies operating in the Kingdom.
• Money transfer companies and institutions operating in the Kingdom.
• Payment companies and payment systems operating in the Kingdom.

P.O. Box 2992, Riyadh 11169, Phone: 4662300 - Fax: 4662543

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Instructions for Services Provided to Persons with Disabilities in Financial Institutions January 2020

Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority
Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority

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Index

First: Introduction 2
A. Objective 2
B. Scope 2
Second: Definitions 2
Third: Instructions for Services for Persons with Disabilities 2

1. Unit for Care of Persons with Disabilities 2
2. Built Environment 3
3. Verification of Disability 3
4. Products and Services 3
5. Self-Service Devices and Electronic Services 3
6. Transparency and Fairness in Dealing with Persons with Disabilities 4
7. Financial Education and Awareness for Persons with Disabilities 4
8. General Provisions 4

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First: Introduction

A. Objective
The Instructions for Services Provided to Persons with Disabilities in Financial Institutions contained in this document aim to consolidate the principle of justice among all segments of society without diminishing or discriminating in any form against the rights of any segment, and to achieve financial inclusion and enable all segments of society to access financial products and services, and to remove all physical and behavioral barriers that hinder or complicate access to financial services for persons with disabilities in managing their financial affairs independently and with complete privacy, and to protect their rights as consumers of financial services.

B. Scope
These instructions apply to all financial institutions subject to the supervision and oversight of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority.

Second: Definitions

1. Person with a Disability: Any person who has a long-term impairment in physical, mental, intellectual, or psychological functions that prevents them from performing their daily tasks effectively in society on an equal basis with others.
2. Disability: The suffering from one or more of the following disabilities: Visual disability, hearing disability, intellectual disability, physical and motor disability, learning difficulties, speech and language disorders, behavioral and emotional disorders, dual and complex disabilities, autism, and other disabilities that require special care.
3. Financial Institution: Banks, branches of foreign banks, insurance and reinsurance companies, branches of foreign insurance and/or reinsurance companies, free profession companies, financing companies, financial lease contract registration companies, credit reporting companies, payment companies, and money transfer companies and institutions operating in the Kingdom under the supervision of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority.
4. Accessibility: Measures that ensure that persons with disabilities can access, on an equal basis with others.

Third: Instructions for Services for Persons with Disabilities

1. Unit for Care of Persons with Disabilities
   The financial institution shall establish an administrative unit concerned with persons with disabilities and ensure that the approved policies and procedures of the financial institution include the requirements and needs of persons with disabilities and that financial services are provided to them easily and conveniently.

2. Built Environment
   The financial institution shall provide a suitable built environment for persons with disabilities in all headquarters and branches in a manner that ensures accessibility and the use of buildings and facilities by persons with disabilities and the utilization of provided services without any difficulties or complexities, as follows:

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• Providing ramps to facilitate access of persons with disabilities to the building and the use of its various facilities, in addition to providing emergency and evacuation exits that are compatible with the needs of persons with disabilities.
• Providing designated parking spaces for receiving persons with disabilities.
• Providing self-service devices for persons with disabilities, equipped with necessary tools and at a height that facilitates their use.
• Providing offices equipped with necessary tools to serve persons with disabilities.
• Providing various means for persons with disabilities to clarify the services and products provided by the financial institution. The financial institution shall provide mobile services if possible to reach persons with disabilities in case of need.

3. Verification of Disability
   The financial institution may use all available means to verify the existence of a disability, such as relying on approved medical reports or supporting documents proving the type of disability condition, or by inspecting the case, provided that verification is done only once.

4. Products and Services
   The financial institution shall put in place policies and procedures that ensure equality for persons with disabilities with all segments of society by enabling them to obtain products and services and manage their financial affairs.

The financial institution shall comply with the following:

A. Providing agreements and contracts forms with persons with disabilities according to available means based on the disability, for example, Braille print "raised numbers and letters" for persons with visual disabilities.

B. Assigning one of the financial institution's employees to read the basic terms and conditions of agreements and contracts with persons with disabilities, such as the blind and visually impaired.

C. Assigning one of the financial institution's employees to assist persons with disabilities in filling out forms, applications, and contracts if requested to do so.

5. Self-Service Devices and Electronic Services
   The financial institution shall enable persons with disabilities to access self-service and electronic services, as follows:

A. Providing self-service devices equipped with available tools for use by persons with disabilities, and advertising the locations of these devices through available means.

B. Developing electronic services to be suitable for use by persons with disabilities, for example, awareness materials for persons with hearing disabilities and the blind.

6. Transparency and Fairness in Dealing with Persons with Disabilities

First: Advertising and Marketing:

A. The financial institution shall update its marketing policies to include persons with disabilities in benefiting from the products and services provided by it.

B. The financial institution shall provide explanations compatible with persons with disabilities for the products and services provided by it.

Second: Commitment to achieving justice and equality in dealing with persons with disabilities:

A. The financial institution is prohibited from excluding or restricting the access of persons with disabilities to any financial services for any reason and under any pretext based on disability or because of it without a legal basis for that.

B. The financial institution is prohibited from dealing with persons with disabilities using arbitrary and unfair practices, and must deal with them with respect and fairness like others without discrimination.

7. Financial Education and Awareness for Persons with Disabilities
   The financial institution shall put in place appropriate programs and mechanisms to develop the knowledge and skills of persons with disabilities, raise their level of awareness and guidance, and enable them to understand the risks of financial products and services and help them make informed and effective decisions, and direct them to the appropriate entity to obtain information if they need to do so.

8. General Provisions
   The financial institution shall comply with the following:

A. Reviewing and developing approved policies and work procedures to include the requirements and needs of persons with disabilities.

B. Preparing a guide that clarifies the mechanism for providing financial services to persons with disabilities and training and qualifying specialized cadres for effective communication to provide services easily and simply.

C. Giving priority and utmost care to persons with disabilities in a manner that ensures facilitating their reception and accelerating the service provision procedures for them.

D. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority shall be responsible for verifying the implementation of the provisions contained in these instructions, and in case of non-compliance, financial institutions will be penalized in accordance with the relevant systems and regulations.

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