This is reflected in Mastercard\u2019s latest payment product<\/a>. The Touch Card is part of a broader effort to demonstrate that inclusiveness isn\u2019t just good for society, it\u2019s also good for the business.<\/p>\n Recently, Mastercard announced the Touch Cards<\/strong>, a new design that helps people with sight-impairment orient their bank card and quickly determine whether they are using a credit card, a debit card, or a prepaid card, all thanks to one simple design element.<\/p>\n According to the Mastercard website, the design relies on a system of \u201cnotches\u201d on the side of each card type to help consumers identify the correct one: <\/p>\n The standard has been designed to work within POS terminals and ATMs, ensuring it can be deployed at scale.<\/p>\n Mastercard worked with The Royal National Institute of Blind People<\/a> in the U.K,. and VISIONS\/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a> in the US to make sure the solution would be effective. <\/p>\n Moreover, the team dismissed using Braille as an option on the surface of the card because only one in ten blind people can read Braille. <\/p>\n Having the right partners, paying attention to the customers\u2019 real needs highlights an important step in the company\u2019s quest for inclusivity. <\/p>\n One thing that\u2019s easy to overlook is just how much feedback goes into these little details. Before settling on notches, Mastercard prototyped all sorts of tactile features that frankly didn\u2019t pan out\u2014some options interfered with machines, others just confused folks. In the end, they landed on notches because almost anyone could use them instantly, with zero learning curve. Sometimes effective design is just about stepping back and listening to people who actually need the solution, not reinventing the wheel for novelty\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n It\u2019s fair to wonder if other financial giants are taking notes or just waiting to see how this pans out before trying their own spin. If you\u2019ve ever tried navigating a major bank\u2019s accessibility options, you probably get why people have trust issues. But when one player sticks their neck out and gets it right, it puts a kind of gentle pressure on the rest of the industry. No one really likes to be left behind when it suddenly becomes so obvious what should have been done all along. Maybe this is the nudge the market needed.<\/p>\n For companies to be able to solve real-world challenges, <\/strong>the solutions have to be truly effective. It can be simple, does not have to be complex, but it has to be effective. <\/strong><\/p>\n In June 2019, Mastercard also introduced True Name<\/a>, which allows the transgender and nonbinary community to choose the name that appears on their cards without the need of a legal name change.<\/p>\n According to Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard\u2019s chief marketing and communications officer, \u201cwe have a responsibility to ensure that the digital economy is enabled for all.\u201d <\/p>\n For the real impact to happen, it has to be embedded into companies’ DNA and shared with many areas so everyone is working towards the same direction. <\/p>\n The efforts that global corporations<\/a> are making can impact the entire world\u2019s challenges, from hunger and health to global warming and accessibility. <\/p>\n Accessibility can be seen as a smart business decision as well. <\/p>\n According to Braille Works<\/a> accessible practices can be good for everyone and including more people in your business can give you access to a larger pool of potential customers. <\/p>\n There are many benefits that come with accessibility that are beyond legal protections, such as helping society to be better, building relationships in your community, and knowing your customer preferences. <\/p>\n Moreover, 63% of consumers surveyed in an Accenture study<\/a> revealed that they preferred to shop from purpose-driven brands. <\/p>\n Companies that invest in having meaning in their products and services and invest in transparence in their commitments improve competitiveness<\/p>\n I’m responsible for Rock.org, Rock Content’s social impact arm, and for that reason, I love following trends about social impact, diversity, and inclusion that are happening in the market. <\/p>\n At Rock Content we have the goal to upskill students in digital marketing<\/a> and sales skills. We want to make learning opportunities accessible to everyone. So far, we have positively impacted more than 50,000 people in socioeconomically vulnerable conditions through courses, mentoring, and volunteer actions.<\/p>\n It is inspiring to see many companies, from different segments and sizes, working for a better and more inclusive world.<\/p>\nTo be effective, it has to solve real-world challenges<\/h2>\n
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It should be part of the company\u2019s DNA <\/h2>\n
It is also good for the business <\/h2>\n
How did this action garner the attention of many people, including myself?<\/h2>\n
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