Initiatives to Become "Barrier–Free"

MHBK has been promoting the Heartful Project since November 2005 with a view to becoming a bank that is easy for anyone to use regardless of age, gender or disability.

This project goes beyond simply making bank branches that are barrier–free for everyone, to adopting universal design principles for bank branches that will satisfy all. In moving this project forward, we are focusing on improvements that mitigate any sense of inconvenience or dissatisfaction that customers may feel in three key areas: facility–related initiatives covering branches, facilities and equipment; service–related initiatives covering customer forms and documents and Internet content; and psychological initiatives involving education and training to improve customer relation skills.

Moving the Heartful Project forward involves holding working group meetings attended by managers from the relevant divisions at appropriate times to allow them to ascertain the current state of progress and share information. It also involves cooperation and dialogs with specialists in universal design from MHRI.

We ask customers for their actual views on what they find inconvenient when they use the bank, and where they would like to see improvements made. Taking these opinions and advice into consideration, we then strive to improve our facilities and services. We have designated the Roppongi, Yokohama–Ekimae and Ofuna branches as "Heartful Project Model Branches," and after conducting various experiments, are steadily reflecting the results in other branches.

For example, we installed ATMs that give wheelchair users sideways access at the Roppongi Branch on an experimental basis. This allowed us to confirm that electric wheelchair users can actually approach and use the units without difficulty, that our approach to providing preferential guidance and anti–crime measures such as privacy–protecting displays function as expected, and that accessories such as interphones and emergency buttons are all installed in easy to use locations. Similar ATMs have been installed in the Toranomon and Nakameguro branches and, as a result of reviews, we positioned them centrally between partitions and at the ends of rows of ATMs.

We also invite experts and persons with disabilities to visit these model branches and actually use the facilities. We then make improvements according to their frank views on, for example, whether the toilet buttons are difficult to use, or whether signs displayed in the bank are difficult to read.

Service marks are displayed at the entrance to each branch. This allows visiting customers to quickly confirm its barrier–free status and spreads broader awareness of Mizuho's efforts in the area.

Barrier–free Status of Each Branch Indicated at the Branch Entrance

Details of the barrier–free status of individual branches are provided at the Website's "Guide to Branches and ATMs" to keep customers notified at all times.

With its aim of creating a bank that is easy for anyone to use, the Heartful Project has been very well received. Since 2006, we have won praise for our multidimensional barrier–free initiatives and have had our efforts recognized with prizes awarded by local governments and organizations. In January 2011, we also became the first financial institution to receive the "Award for Promoting Barrier–Free" by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

• *1This prize is sponsored by the JFMA with a view to spreading facility management concepts throughout Japan. Facilities management (FM) aims to respond to social changes and the new corporate environment by contributing to dynamic corporate activities through the effective and appropriate planning, improvement, operation and management of buildings and other facilities from a managerial perspective. The prize is awarded for activities that incorporate FM activities and papers on FM–related techniques, among other things.
• *2Nagano Prefecture presents individuals and organizations with awards recognizing their outstanding contributions in the area of social welfare. Awards are presented in these six categories: Barrier–free urban development, Livelihood protection, Rehabilitation assistance, Elderly well–being, Disabled well–being, and Child and family well–being.
• *3In accordance with the provisions of the Law for Improving Accessibility for the Elderly and Disabled, implemented in December 2006, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is promoting the general and integrated introduction of barrier–free design concepts in public transportation, roads, structures, and other areas of their regulatory domain. By presenting awards to individuals and organizations recognized as having made exceptional contributions to the advancement of barrier–free design concepts in areas under its purview, the Ministry is also trying to promote the broad propagation of these initiatives.

Using the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Barrier–Free Building Ordinance as reference, MHBK has drawn up its own "Branch Improvement Standards" and is adopting universal design principles for its branch facilities. These standards have established eight priority items known as the "Eight Basic Specs." Improvements are implemented after surveys to ascertain the status of all branch facilities under each specification.

Since launching the facility–related initiatives in fiscal 2006, facility improvements have progressed steadily. For example, ATMs for people with visual impairments have already been installed at almost all branches. We will continue to improve branch facilities to become a bank that is kind and convenient to customers.

Eight Basic Specs: Adoption Rates (Work completed at 434 manned branches as of March 31, 2011)

Eight Basic Specs: Adoption Rates (Work completed at 434 manned branches as of March 31, 2011)

• *The total does not include branches where these facilities are not required, such as single–story branches.

Branches have now made available various tools for the sight– and hearing–impaired. For the hearing–impaired, for example, "Mimi Mark" (Ear Mark) signs are displayed to welcome customers and inform them that provision has been made for writing and other communications needs, including whiteboards. There are also "Communication Boards" which describe transactions and procedures using pictures and symbols.

We are also revising documents for customers by making them easier to view, understand and write. MHBK's Website offers the convenience of three character size options–large, medium and small–so that even people with presbyopic eyes can read and is compatible with a sound browser so that people with visual impairments can use the Website .

As psychological initiatives, we strive to use ingenuity and thoughtfulness when we contact customers and make the relationship between Mizuho Bank and its customers better and more heartful. Through the "Mizuho Heartful Style" initiative, we are promoting efforts to improve our customer care. To make our bank satisfactory for all customers, we regard it as important to raise each employee's awareness. To this end, we have prepared a manual and distributed it to all employees including the part–time staff of branches and have conducted training using videos. The Mizuho Heartful Manual clarifies procedures for writing or reading to assist customers. It reflects our efforts to improve employee understanding of the needs of visually impaired customers, and other customers as well, by using customer feedback to improve our operations.

Tailoring to the characteristics of individual branches is the hallmark of the training we conduct. For instance, the age range of customers who visit each branch differs depending on location. At each branch, employees discuss and determine the appropriate initiatives.

Furthermore, Lobby Concierges are recommended to obtain the Care–Fitter Level 2 certification administered by the nonprofit organization Nippon Care–Fit Service Association. This qualification involves practical skills such as the operation of wheelchairs. From training and test taking to success, we provide consistent support. As of March 2011, 326 Mizuho staff had acquired this certification.

Training in Operating Wheelchairs and Other Customer Relation Skills