What does vulnerability mean?
As “vulnerable customers” can be characterized those who due to their personal circumstances, are especially susceptible to harm, particularly when a firm is not acting with appropriate levels of care. Vulnerability doesn’t simply refer to financial difficulties, but a multitude of other challenges that millions of people face, such as cognitive or physical disabilities, severe or long-term illnesses, addictions and learning difficulties, just to name a few. In fact, vulnerability should not be thought of as a specific situation nor as a static condition, but as a wide spectrum that everyone is susceptible to fall into, under specific circumstances.
All of the above issues and characteristics can impact on a person’s capacity to negotiate a process and make decisions in their own interests.
This is why we make sure that we can recognize and understand vulnerability and respond flexibly to the needs of our vulnerable customers. Our staff has and will continue to undertake trainings, in order to be as helpful and effective as possible in those situations.