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Citizens Rolling Out Sustainable Debit Cards with Touch Card
Citizens Financial Group has announced some updates and improvements to its physical debit cards.
About the updated cards:
In the new year, Citizens will be rolling out updated Mastercard debit and ATM cards. These newly designed cards are made of 90% recycled PVC. As a result, they will also include Mastercard’s sustainable card badge. By utilizing recycled material and participating in the program, the cards will reduce energy consumption, material consumption, carbon footprint, and waste.
According to Citizens, the resissuance of cards will begin next month. All of the bank’s debit/ATM cards will be converted to Mastercards.
In addition to using sustainable materials, the updated Citizens debit and ATM cards will integrate Touch Card.
About Touch Card:
Mastercard’s Touch Card is a feature meant to help those who are blind or partially sighted easily identify their various cards. Citizens first utilized Touch Card with the launch of its Citizens Private Client World Elite Mastercard in May. Notably, with that being a credit card, it featured a squared notch whereas the debit/ATM cards will have a rounded notch. Prepaid cards in the Touch Card ecosystem will have a triangular notch.
What they’re saying:
Announcing the rollout, Citizens’ Vice Chair and Head of Consumer Banking Brendan Coughlin said, “The full conversion of our new Mastercard debit and ATM cards is another milestone in our expanded, strategic partnership with Mastercard, a collaboration that embodies our shared commitment to innovation, inclusivity and unparalleled customer experience.” Coughlin continued, “As our customers’ trusted financial advisors, we are committed to providing more sustainable and accessible products that reduce our environmental impact and help our customers and communities thrive.”
Additionally, Mastercard’s President of U.S. Financial Institutions John Levitsky stated, “At Mastercard, we’re committed to integrating environmental sustainability and inclusive technology to make consumer experiences seamless, safe and secure while protecting our planet. With partners like Citizens and cards like the new Citizens Mastercard Debit and ATM Cards, people can feel confident that their payment choice reflects our shared values.”
My thoughts:
Both of the updates Citizens is making to its debit card seem positive. And while it may seem a bit strange that the bank is forcing a replacement card while boasting about sustainability, since the conversion to Mastercard was happening anyway, it’s nice that they made it count. As for Touch Card, it’s great to see that it will now be available on more than one type of card — making the clever feature more effective overall.
With these changes set to take place at the top of 2024, hopefully other banks and institutions will embrace similar updates as the year rolls on.
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