Inclusive financial design

Effective strategies begin with understanding the diverse financial realities of underrepresented clients.
We help you identify needs, behaviours, and barriers across:

• Racialized communities

• Indigenous peoples

• Women and gender-diverse clients

• Newcomers and immigrants

• Persons with disabilities

• 2SLGBTQIA+ communities

• Low-income or unbanked populations

• Rural and remote communities

What we deliver:

• Market segmentation and community profiling

• Lived experience research (interviews, focus groups, listening circles)

• Access-to-banking and access-to-capital assessments

• Systemic barrier identification

Outcome: Strategies rooted in insight—not assumptions.

We design enterprise-wide strategies that help financial service providers become trusted, relevant partners in diverse communities.

Our services include:

• Inclusive market strategy design

• Value proposition development for underrepresented clients

• Cross-enterprise alignment (retail, business banking, wealth, ESG, DEI)

• Multi-year roadmaps and implementation plans

• Business case development

Outcome: A clearly defined path to inclusive growth and stronger client relationships.

Traditional financial services products often fail to meet the needs of underserved clients. We help you build solutions that promote accessibility and equity.

Our services include:

• Product and credit policy review

• Inclusive product design

• Redesign of onboarding and advisory experiences

• Accessibility improvements (digital, physical, linguistic)

• Financial advisory models tailored to community needs

Outcome: Products and services that remove barriers and drive meaningful engagement.

Representation matters. Authenticity matters even more.

Our services include:

• Marketing and brand audits through an inclusion lens

• Inclusive messaging and campaign development

• Community partnership strategy

• Sponsorship and social impact program design

• Leadership and employee representation guidance

Outcome: A brand that resonates with—and is trusted by—diverse communities.

Inclusive banking starts from within your institution. Equipping teams with the right skills is essential for delivering high-performing, inclusive financial products and services. As customer expectations evolve, leaders and team members must have the skills and awareness to serve diverse segments effectively. Investing in training improves decision-making, reduces risk, and enhances customer trust—while empowering teams to identify new opportunities for inclusive products and services. When teams are equipped to understand and respond to diverse needs, financial service providers are better positioned to drive performance and deliver a more inclusive customer experience.

Acote’s approach goes beyond training. We build capability from within, helping teams embed inclusion into everyday work so the organization can grow, innovate, and lead with purpose

Our services include:

• Cultural competency, anti-bias, and anti-racism training

• Inclusive client engagement training for frontline teams

• Leadership education on inclusive service models

• Policy and process reviews to reduce barriers

• Internal communication and behavioural alignment

Outcome: Teams equipped with the skills and awareness needed to serve all clients with dignity and respect.

Trust grows when financial service providers show up meaningfully in the communities they serve.

Our services include:

• Partnership development with community organizations

• Co-created financial education programs

• Entrepreneur support initiatives

• Social impact and community investment strategies

Outcome: Stronger community relationships and expanded reach.

Visibility drives accountability. What gets measured gets done.

Our services include:

• Inclusive data strategy and segmentation

• KPI and scorecard development

• Impact reporting and ESG alignment

• Annual inclusion reporting frameworks

Outcome: Clear insight into progress and opportunities for continued improvement.

Strengthen board oversight on inclusion and long-term risk.

Acote supports boards to:

• Understand how systemic barriers in finance affect risk, growth, and reputation

• Embed inclusion into governance, risk, and strategy discussions

• Align board committees around clear priorities and measures of success

• Translate public commitments into credible, sustained action

• Navigate complex internal and external expectations around inclusion