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Project Inclusion

Project Inclusion has provided an insightful opportunity to work on issues that have the impact to change lives. It has been both a pleasure and an eye-opener for me, and involved me in authentic initiatives across the fintech sector, thanks to The Payments Association’s enviable reputation as a thought leader.

Mission Statement

To drive industry activity that informs and collaborates with government and third sector bodies to provide clarity on PayTech innovations and solutions that aim to reduce financial exclusion and the poverty premium.

Strategy and Approach 2023

Cost-of-Living and Benefits

Examining how the payments industry can support the most vulnerable population through welfare and employment payments.

Open Banking

Exploring how open banking can provide access to tailored and fair financial services to those unbanked and underserved. 

Policy Agenda

Engaging with the key regulatory bodies (BoE, FCA and the PSR) to drive the financial inclusion agenda forward.

Project Inclusion Members

Josh Berle, Business Development Director, Mastercard

Neil Harris, CEO, B-Yond

Nigel Atta-Mensah, Vice President, Crown Agents Bank

Jos Henson Gric, Founder, Flex

Simon Thomas, Prepaid Product Manager, allpay

Ramsey El Dabbagh, Corporate Development algbra

Shadia Hanna, Principal, Payment Industry Relations, Discover

Kevin Flood Technology Consulting Ernst & Young LLP

Kevin Flood, Technology Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP

Kit Yarker, Director, Product and Propositions, EML Payments

Featured Content

Cost-of-living initiative

Project Inclusion is working on an initiative to identify how payments innovation can help address the cost of living crisis at every level. Starting with the most important one: consumers. Project Inclusion member, Jos Henson Gric, wrote an article for Payments Intelligence on how the industry can help customers through the cost of living crisis. 

Past Project Initiatives

Making cross border payments work for all 

Financial exclusion is a huge issue when it comes to cross border payments since a large portion of these payments travel from the developed to the developing world, which typically lacks the appropriate financial infrastructure and services. Therefore, the Project Inclusion team sought to speak to several organisations who are encouraging global financial inclusion in developing and emerging markets by providing critical solutions that tackle cost, speed, access and compliance when it comes to cross border payments.

Sustainability and Financial Inclusion

Through a series of interviews, a podcast and report, Project Inclusion set out to find out what it means to be a sustainable fintech and where do you start. The report, ‘Sustainability Superheroes: A how-to guide to ESG for Fintechs’, provided insights from several fintech leaders.

Inclusive Crypto and CBDCs

Through a series of interviews with fintech experts, Project Inclusion learnt about different use cases in how crypto helps aid Financial Inclusion. The interviews amalgamated in a series of blogs released as a social media campaign exploring the themes brought up in the interviews. 

Lifestyle and Values Banking

Financial inclusion has long been synonymized with the 1.7 bn unbanked across the world. This initiative highlighted the needs of significant communities beyond the unbanked, who  seek financial products that accommodate their values and beliefs.

Affordable Credit

Project Inclusion provided an overview of how Fintech innovation is increasing access to affordable credit and tackling financial exclusion.

Relevant Media