Inclusivity is important
BCA CEO Sally Karandrews explains initiatives like these are incredibly important to the low vision and blind community. “Australia has an aging population and there’s a strong correlation between an increase in age and a decrease in vision. So, in the future we will see more people who acquire vision loss during their life. The Touch Card make it really easy to identify the correct card in your wallet and make a payment and help people to maintain their independence,” she says.
Sally says one of the Touch Cards’ most attractive features is that there is no reliance on a phone or additional technology.
“There’s a real tendency to create apps for everything. Don’t get me wrong, some of these apps are fantastic and life changing. But not everyone has access to or wants a smart phone and sometimes they run out of battery or don’t work. The Touch Card is great because they don’t rely on any kind of technology or technology skill.
“We encourage businesses to think about the diverse needs of people who are using their products. Technology can be a wonderful solution. But it’s not the only solution.”
She says when businesses take the needs of diverse groups in society into account it makes a difference for everyone.
“It’s always nice to feel included and considered and that your needs are understood and acknowledged by a business; it really goes a long way to making you feel valued.
“For companies, it just makes good business sense. Between one in four and one in five Australians have a disability. That’s a large portion of the population and there’s no point creating goods or services that exclude people because you’re just cutting out a market segment.”
Working together
Courtney says it was an amazing opportunity to work alongside Mastercard to shine a light on a different form of the game. The work she took part in ultimately led to the first blind and low vision match played at a grand slam.
“It was great to see the sport showcased on such a big platform like the Australian Open. The amount of people who were there live, and the number of people who got to see it around the world, was amazing.”
As for the future, Courtney is looking forward to exploring the world, confident it’s becoming more equal and accepting of everyone.
And in a sign of positive progress, the collaboration between Mastercard and Courtney has inspired the first financial issuers to bring the cards to Australians.
Mastercard’s Touch Card has launched in Australia and is available on cards issued by select banks, with more expected later this year. For more information on Touch Card, visit: www.mastercard.com/news
