Alternatif Bank carried out a survey in cooperation with KUSIF to measure the social impact of studies conducted in the field of Accessible Banking. The Bank shared the outcomes of the first comprehensive social impact survey specific to Accessible Banking, which might set an example for Turkey.

Alternatif Bank shared the outcomes of the social impact survey, which it launched with Koc University Social Impact Forum (KUSIF) in 2023, to measure the social impact of its operations in the field of Accessible Banking, carried out for 5 years on a rights-based approach, on stakeholders in different groups and the general public. The Bank aims to benefit not only the baking sector, but also a broad segment of the public with the “Social Impact Measurement and Management: The Case of Accessible Banking”, which is the first comprehensive social impact survey specific to Accessible Banking, which might set an example for Turkey. 

“We wanted to measure the social impact created by our Accessible Banking studies” 

Alternatif Bank CEO Ozan Kırmızı, making remarks about the survey, stated “We consider easy access by everyone to all services that we offer as Alternatif Bank under the principle of equality to be among our corporate priorities. With this understanding, we believe in the importance of designing and offering banking services so that they are accessible by everyone and we maintain our operations with an approach ‘based on not aids, but rights’ in our ‘Accessible Banking’ studies that we have been conducting for almost 5 years. We wanted to measure the impact and awareness created by all of these efforts, made since 2019, with our stakeholders and the general public in terms of accessibility and removing obstacles. Although there are advanced standards for measurement in environmental projects, measurement of the impact of such social projects bring along a more challenging and complicated approach. Accordingly, we engaged in an important collaboration with KUSIF, one of the most reputable institutions in this field. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to esteemed KUSIF team for providing an academic background to all these studies that we conduct in the field of “Accessible Banking”, analyzing them in detail from a very different aspect as experts, and offering brand new perspectives to us. They made truly great efforts and worked hard, which resulted in a study that is very valuable and meaningful for us and that will set an example for our sector”.

Ozan Kırmızı also referred to outputs of the survey and made the following remarks: “The outcomes that we saw indicated objectively that our Bank takes the rights steps toward achieving the change and impact goal we desire to create. We observe that we made great strides in terms of awareness and adoption particularly in our employees and other internal stakeholders thanks to our activities in the field of Accessible Banking. We witness the start of a positive movement in our external stakeholders. Comprehensive measurements and findings within this scope will shape our studies in the upcoming period. Although we made great strides from where we started, we are not at a point where we can say “It is done”, we are aware that there is still a long  way ahead of us. Thus, we will continue our studies in the field of Accessible Banking without slowing down. We consider Accessible Banking as supplementary to our search for excellence in employee and customer experience, which is one of our strategic goals, and also as a part of our brand identity, beyond just a responsibility study.”

“Impact management for sustainability”

KUSIF Managing Director Dr. Gonca Ongan emphasized the importance of social impact management and stated “As Koc University Social Impact Forum (KUSIF), we have been supporting institutions that provide social benefits in terms of social impact measurement and management for more than sixteen years, and we are maintaining our studies with new individuals and institutions day by day to increase the number of social impact players. We seek answers for tens of questions on changes that institutions want to create with their social impact strategies, and we try to offer a perspective on impact management for sustainability in our engagements. In this study, we present a good example for the outcomes of positive changes that Alternatif Bank, which is on a social impact journey, created on its stakeholders. The social impact survey was designed to aid in identification of the corporate impact framework of activities conducted by Alternatif Bank within the scope of Accessible Banking. We believe that the survey and findings will contribute to establishment of a permanent impact management process, focused on sustainability, by the Bank and provide a roadmap for future activities. Thus, we are sharing a framework that will facilitate revision of existing studies and making strategic decisions regarding new studies for the Bank to increase impact.”

Dr. Ongan, underlining that the social impact survey was conducted pursuant to relevant international standards within the framework of Social Impact Management and Social Value Principles, indicated that changes were observed in different stakeholder groups due to activities conducted within the scope of Accessible Banking and, at this point, significant changes were experienced by bank employees, which comprised the principal stakeholder group of the survey, in thematic fields. Besides, she emphasized that analyses and recommendations were included in respect of transforming such activities into an inclusive business model as part of the corporate business model of the Bank, beyond the sustainable social responsibility projects of Alternatif Bank.

About the Survey and Its Results:

The survey, where qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized, lasted 6 months: In the first stage of the survey, carried out to understand and assess the impact and social value created by Alternatif Bank on its stakeholders, interviews were made with Accessible Banking  Advisory Board, personnel, and business partners to establish a stakeholder map and identify the change theory of social impact analysis. In the second stage of the survey, which lasted 6 months, focus group interviews and quantitative survey applications were made with segmented different groups to understand the changes undergone by stakeholders. 

Changes experienced by bank personnel stand out: Changes that occurred in different stakeholder groups, as a result of activities conducted within the scope of Accessible Banking, were observed. Significant increases were observed in awareness and adoption levels of particularly Alternatif Bank employees. It was observed that the rate of regarding accessible banking services, which used to be 48% before activities conducted in the field of Accessible Banking, increased to 92% after Accessible Banking activities of the Bank, while the ratio of awareness of support mechanisms that customers with disabilities could need increased from 33% to 87% among Bank personnel. The findings also featured that another important change was in adoption of right-based language and approach by personnel. Adoption rate of right-based language and approach in Bank personnel, which used to be 32% before becoming aware of activities conducted in the field of Accessible Banking, increased to 84% following Accessible Banking activities of the Bank. On the other hand, it was observed that changes were experienced in skill levels of Bank personnel, besides the changes experienced in knowledge and awareness levels. It was determined that the ratio of skills of all bank personnel to communicate correctly with customers with disabilities, which used to be 33% before being aware of the activities conducted in the field of Accessible Banking, increased to 75% following Accessible Banking activities.

Details of survey results, as well as Social Impact Analysis: The Case of Accessible Banking report and Case Analysis booklet, published within the scope of the study, are accessible on corporate website and social media channels of Alternatif Bank.