Thanks to a partnership with RNID, HSBC UK has become the first UK bank to offer British Sign Language (BSL) for beginners training to all its 23,000 employees.
The accredited e-learning course – which has been developed by Signature, the awarding body for British Sign Language qualifications – enables employees at HSBC UK to learn useful words and phrases in BSL.
Christopher Stafford, Channels Support Manager at HSBC UK, helped spearhead the launch of the training at the bank after welcoming a deaf colleague to his team. He said:
The training is all about making communication easier for everyone. At least 1 in 3 of us are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. When a deaf colleague joined my team there was a communication gap. I wanted them to feel at home here, included and to feel part of the team.”
Why BSL training matters
Harriet Oppenheimer, Chief Executive of RNID, said:
By providing beginner BSL training, HSBC UK is taking meaningful steps to ensure everyone feels welcome and included and is helping to break down the barriers faced by people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
It is vital that we all play a role in becoming more deaf-aware, both in the workplace and in everyday life. HSBC UK’s commitment marks an important milestone, and we hope to see many similar shifts across the sector and among other public-facing organisations in the years ahead.”
Sally Williams, Head of Branch Network at HSBC UK said:
We are proud to be the first UK bank to offer BSL for Beginners training to our colleagues. It is important that no one faces unnecessary barriers, whether that is in everyday conversations, in our branches, or with colleagues.
We are on a journey to improve our employees’ basic BSL communication and better understand the challenges customers who use BSL face. By raising awareness and working to improve the experiences of BSL users, we are taking real steps towards creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone. We want to remove barriers to communication wherever possible.
HSBC UK continues to work closely with RNID to improve accessibility through expert advice, training, and online resources and we are excited about more developments to come later in the year. We recognise that this course does not replace the need for BSL interpretation, but we believe this will contribute to providing a more inclusive experience for colleagues and customers.”
Building a more deaf‑aware workplace
HSBC UK’s new training follows the launch of ‘Understanding Hearing Loss’ in 2024, an e-learning course that uses simulations that replicate real office and branch environments.
BSL for Beginners is part of HSBC UK’s commitment to making banking more accessible and inclusive, whilst supporting employees across the UK whose first or preferred language is BSL.
The course has directly led to colleagues identifying their own hearing loss and taking action by taking RNID’s free, online hearing check.
