- Nationwide, the UK’s largest building society, has partnered with British Sign Language (BSL) technology company Signly to introduce a new digital service translating its website into BSL.
- This initiative aims to enhance support for deaf customers, ensuring they can access Nationwide’s services in their primary language and improving their access to financial services.
- According to the British Deaf Association (BDA), BSL is the primary language for 87,000 people in the UK, yet only 6% of financial services firms offer BSL-translated websites, as highlighted by a report from the Lending Standards Board.
- Nationwide’s BSL content is delivered through pre-recorded signed videos, with priority given to the most popular web pages. Additionally, the content will expand over time, allowing users to request translations for new pages.
- Signly’s technology continuously monitors Nationwide’s website content to ensure that translations remain faithful to the original text.
- Kathryn Townsend, head of customer accessibility at Nationwide, believes this new service will enhance access to essential financial information for deaf customers.
- This initiative complements Nationwide’s existing accessibility services, such as remote BSL access via video in call centers and in-branch BSL interpretation, further demonstrating its commitment to inclusivity and customer support.
