How Heartland Bank is leading the way in hearing inclusion

In a country where over 880,000 people live with hearing loss, Heartland Bank is taking bold steps to ensure that no one is left out of the conversation - whether at work or in the community. As the first organisation in New Zealand to become a Hearing Accredited Workplace, Heartland is proving that hearing inclusivity isn’t just possible, it’s powerful.

Through their partnership with the Deaf and hard of hearing Foundation, Heartland has transformed how it serves both employees and customers. Workshops, free hearing checks, and Deaf culture education have equipped their team with tools to communicate more effectively and sensitively.

From the workplace to community

Heartland’s story shows how raising awareness and promoting hearing wellbeing can transform lives. Now, the Foundation is working to bring this same impact to another vital part of our society: Making listening safe for preschool children.

Every day, young children across Aotearoa are exposed to noise levels that could cause permanent hearing damage and globally, more than one billion young people are at risk of losing their hearing. But there’s hope: nearly 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable. And prevention starts with education - and the right tools.

Heartland Bank is proudly backing the August 2025 matched giving campaign to help bring Sound Monkey noise monitoring devices and safe listening education to more early childhood centres across Aotearoa.

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