ANZ is proud to announce it has become a member of the One Stop One Story (OSOS) Hub, further strengthening its commitment to supporting customers impacted by family and domestic violence.
An initiative by Thriving Communities Australia (TCA) in collaboration with member organisations, the OSOS Hub enables frontline workers from essential services, government and community organisations to connect and refer people to a range of support systems through a single, secure access point.
With an estimated 21 per cent of Australian adults having experienced violence, emotional or economic abuse by a partner1, ANZ is underscoring its commitment to providing comprehensive support and ensuring fair access to essential services for all customers by becoming a member.
ANZ Customer Advocate, Meg Dalling, said joining the OSOS Hub is part of a multi-faceted approach for ANZ to provide further support to its customers, building on a longstanding relationship with TCA.
"We want to support our customers when they need us most, and providing rapid support for victim-survivors of family violence is a crucial step in this process.
"It can be distressing for customers to have to relive their story over and over again as they try and navigate a complex system of providers. Through One Stop One Story, we'll be able to help through a single access point without additional burden.
"Tackling this issue takes a collective community response, where banks play an important role in contributing not only through support but also increasingly through prevention strategies, including thoughtful product design," Ms Dalling said.
Thriving Communities Australia CEO, Ciara Sterling said: "It is essential for banks to be proactive and collaborative in addressing the complexities of family and domestic violence. We are excited for ANZ to join the OSOS partnership.
"This is an important step towards creating a more supportive and responsive system. By working together across government, essential services and community organisations we can create safer and easier pathways where people receive the help they need without additional barriers."
ANZ also partners with Uniting CareRing to support customers impacted by family violence. CareRing connects customers to services including housing support, social workers, drug and alcohol support, employment services and financial counselling.
"We're here to support and improve our customers' financial wellbeing and we can do this best when they're in a safe and secure environment. Every action we take to contribute to this is a step in the right direction," said Ms Dalling.
