Our Public Policy Director, María Abascal, asserts that the problem of the digital divide must be addressed collectively as a society, as technology is an essential part of our lives and is present in many aspects, which is why “public-private collaboration is essential for progress.”
We have all been affected by the rapid advance of digitalization, further accentuated by the pandemic, when we relied on technology to continue with our lives as much as possible, she said at the Fundación Alternativas event on the ‘Digital Divide for Seniors’,
“But we must be aware that, for some groups or individuals, digitalization can pose a problem, and no one can be left behind. Digitalization should be an option, not an imposition,” María Abascal emphasized, convinced of the need to address people’s varying adaptation paces to technological advancements.
In this regard, she advocated for maintaining personalized attention for all who desire it and for utilizing all the benefits that technology offers for those who prefer it, an objective that requires redoubling efforts to strengthen digital training and capacity building. “We must not demonize digitalization, which is a vector of transformation and progress, but we must be sensitive to the fact that there may be people with other needs.”
Last July, the banking sector presented the Strategic Protocol to Reinforce the Social and Sustainable Commitment of Banking, through which the AEB promotes among its entities a series of operating principles to strengthen their support for society and channel it through specific measures, including financial inclusion for vulnerable groups, she explained.
This framework includes the ten-point plan for improving personalized attention for seniors and people with disabilities, featuring a wide range of measures, such as extending in-person service hours to cover at least 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for teller services, or preferential treatment for seniors in branches, with priority in cases of high public traffic in offices.
“Banks have reacted very quickly to detect the concern of a very significant portion of their customers: seniors. It is a concern that we understood and for which we have implemented effective measures to resolve it. We trust that this is a small contribution to a very broad issue that affects all sectors. We believe that the banking sector has taken the necessary measures,” she said.
