Project “FININC” is implemented within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026 and is financed by European Union funds through the NextGenerationEU instrument.
The project focuses on the area of financial inclusion of socially vulnerable groups (persons with disabilities) in the Republic of Croatia. Despite the increase in financial inclusion of the aforementioned social group in the past decade, certain subgroups of persons with disabilities still have limited access to financial services, due to the specific nature of their disability, the insufficiently examined impact of the disability on access to financial services and, consequently, insufficiently developed solutions by financial institutions.
The purpose of the project is to investigate access to financial services by persons with disabilities in the European Union, with a special focus and primary research in Croatia (focus group: people with hearing and/or visual impairments), the extent to which their needs are met, and additionally, the attainment of financial institutions to this issue, taking into consideration good practices of expected socially responsible/sustainable business.
The research will result in new knowledge about the possibilities of contributing to financial inclusion, which will be communicated through various activities to increase the visibility of the project in the scientific and professional public. The research results can serve financial institutions in removing existing obstacles as well as decision makers in fulfilling socio-economic goals. The project is expected to contribute to strengthening the financial inclusion of persons with disabilities, and the closely related social inclusion, thereby contributing to social responsibility. In this sense, innovative solutions in the offer of financial services, adapting to the specifics of disability, can be of significant help.