On 8 November, ANEC hosted the public webinar ‘Support all consumers through the cost-of-living crisis: ISO 22458, the global standard mutually benefitting companies and customers’.
ISO 22458 Project Lead, Julie Hunter, Chair of the Consumer & Public Interest Network (CPIN) and former ANEC Services Working Group Chair, presented this very topical webinar and shared information on the background to the standard.
ISO 22458 defines consumer vulnerability as “a state in which an individual is placed at risk of harm in their interaction with a service provider due to the presence of personal, situational or market environment factors”.
During the event, participants learnt about why it is important for organizations to understand and address consumer vulnerability with a proactive approach and to be committed to ISO 22458’s nine guiding principles: accountability, empathy, empowerment, fairness, flexibility, inclusivity, innovation, privacy and transparency.
The requirements and good practice guidelines for designing and delivering inclusive services are especially relevant now, in the context of the cost-of-living crisis and were also introduced. The ambition for ISO 22458 is that it is applied as a consistent overarching framework for sector specific guidance, used by regulators as a way for companies to meet vulnerability obligations.
Webinar slides are available here, while the CPIN ISO 22458 leaflet is available to read, download and share here.
Giovanni COLLOT
gcollot@cencenelec.eu
