23/08/2024. PT. Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BNI has again made an achievement by winning a prestigious award as the bank with the Best Literacy Program at the Financial Literacy Award 2024 event organized by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).
The award was given by OJK to BNI in a series of events to launch the National Financial Intelligence Movement (GENCARKAN) at the JIExpo Convention Center and Theatre, Jakarta, on Thursday (22/8/2024).
The award received by BNI is a real proof of BNI's ability to accelerate the expansion of access and financial inclusion of the community. This is in line with the government's priority program to improve welfare and encourage national development.
On that occasion, BNI Network and Services Director Ronny Venir conveyed that BNI is fully committed to supporting the GENCARKAN program and the company's efforts to expand financial access, especially in the 3T (Frontier, Outermost, Disadvantaged) areas.
In addition to aiming to improve the knowledge, skills, confidence levels, and behavior of the community so that they can make the right decisions in managing finances in the future, this financial literacy activity also aims to ensure that every segment of society better understands banking products and services, and is aware of the benefits, advantages, and potential financial risks that may arise.
"BNI's participation in the GENCARKAN event is a manifestation of the company's commitment to support OJK's strategy in increasing public financial literacy and inclusion by expanding access to bank financial products and services," said Ronny.
According to Ronny, this is consistent with the GENCARKAN program's objectives, which are to increase the synergy of implementing financial literacy and inclusion activities by all stakeholders in order to create a financially intelligent society capable of making sound financial decisions and avoiding various forms of financial crime.
BNI is also committed to protecting and ensuring consumer rights in transacting and using BNI products and services.
"Through these financial literacy and inclusion activities, we hope to reduce the gap in access to financial services in society by reducing the number of people who do not have a bank account or are unbanked," he added.
Based on data from the National Survey of Financial Literacy and Inclusion (SNLIK) 2022, there are still 14 provinces with literacy rates below the national average. Therefore, a massive and even financial education program is needed across all regions with a wide reach.
BNI is committed to continuing to support GENCARKAN by conducting comprehensive education starting from the government level to the general public. At the government level, BNI has collaborated with more than 100 cities/regencies in the Smart City program which includes six main concepts: Smart People, Smart Governance, Smart Infrastructure, Smart Environment, Smart Economy, and Smart Society.
At the community level, financial literacy and inclusion education is carried out through a community approach, such as the Let's Save with Trash or Trash Bank program since 2017, as well as the Student Savings (Simpel) program. Currently, there are 276 Trash Banks spread across 206 sub-districts in 22 provinces throughout Indonesia.
In addition, community-based education is also carried out in the campus environment by introducing Digital Banking and investment products as an effort to prevent the spread of illegal investments and online gambling.
Not only domestically, BNI is also actively collaborating with OJK in providing education to the diaspora and Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), by utilizing the existence of BNI Representative Offices abroad, such as those recently carried out in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Osaka.
Most recently, a financial literacy education program was held with OJK at the Construction Workers' Housing in the Capital City of Nusantara (IKN) to provide an understanding of the dangers of online gambling. BNI is committed to continuing these programs in all BNI Regional Offices by collaborating with related agencies towards the realization of a Financially Intelligent Society for Golden Indonesia 2045.
BNI has also opened a Digital Banking Café Outlet in ASN Residences in IKN as a form of support for IKN development. In addition, BNI presents Banking Café Mobile with a Digital Outlet concept that can move around, making it more flexible in reaching a wider community.
The Digital Banking Café concept is BNI's effort to be present in the community while providing financial literacy and inclusion education.
Apart from that, BNI is also expanding its service reach by presenting Agen46 in blank spot areas that are not reached by BNI outlets. Currently, there are more than 200,000 Agen46 BNI spread throughout Indonesia, with 15,000 of them in the 3T area. Agen46 BNI is here to serve the people who need financial access the most.
"Thank you to OJK for this award. BNI will continue to carry out sustainable and innovative programs to improve public financial literacy massively, evenly, and on target," concluded Ronny.