
We’ve brought together resources to support and equip leaders across your wider organisation, to help you fulfil your commitment.
How to take action
If you’re not sure how to commit to action as an organisation, here are 9 great ways you could start on your disability inclusion journey.
Appoint an Executive Sponsor or Champion
tasked with improving your disability related performance across the business.
Start by being seen to listen to your people and your customers
Invest in initial conversations with disabled people and don’t be afraid of feedback.
Identify any barriers for colleagues and customers
– look for accessibility issues which may be stopping you from welcoming more people.
Run a diversity monitoring survey
for colleagues with and without disabilities, and act on what you learn. But make sure you’re compliant with employment law.
Encourage national leaders to connect with
local business disability networks and business networks that have made disability a priority.
Lead from the top and set your ambition
with a global disability performance strategy. What gets measured gets done, so make sure you factor in timings and KPIs.
Review your media
and consider how you could represent and speak to a broader spectrum of people, including those with disabilities.
Launch an Employee Resource Group
Create a safe space for people with disabilities to have their voices heard and establish regular interaction with your Executive Sponsor.
Bring in experts -
you are unlikely to already have the disability & accessibility expertise you need so make sure you’re working with people who can help.
Over 3 Years 20% of a workforce will disclose a condition that requires an intervention.
(Microlink - Figure based on survey of 22.000 Cases)
*Based on raw 2018 data
Designing an ‘end to end’ Work Place Adjustment Service that ensures your colleagues have the tools and flexibility they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability, it s group effort. It should include processes managed by Property and FM, Technology, Procurement, HR and Occupational Health.
How can you provide a service that ensures your colleagues have the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability?
- Build an understanding of the reality of your workforce and how disability affects your business.
- Assess and remove barriers for groups of people (e.g. dyslexic people, visually impaired people).
- Assess and facilitate adjustments for individuals – ensuring process doesn’t become a barrier.
In 2018, a workforce of ca. 75.000 people reported:
2,042
people
taking condition related absence
68,599
absence days
were reported by people who have disclosed a condition
£8.5
million
The cost of days lost sum-up to over £8.5 million lost in productivity over one year
60-80%
reduction
to adsenteeism with an efficient, fit for purpose, work place adjustment service
Critical Success Factors.
- Ensure a named senior executive is held responsible for the efficiency of the service, end to end.
- Set a target for provision of adjustments to take no longer than 20 working days.
- Ensure the service is well publicised and communicates the benefits of best practice rather than mere legal compliance.
- Minimise reliance on medical advisors: adjustments are a managerial responsibility.
- Position both the individual and their managers as valued service users and monitor their satisfaction.
- Provide a pre-approved catalogue of software, hardware and other assistive devices to speed up delivery
- Re-engineer the process using experts at first contact point, to minimise needless assessments
- Evaluate and monitor the end to end process, gathering the management information needed for continuous improvement
6 key workplace adjustments – enabling individuals to get on with their jobs.
1. Assumptions
Challenge assumptions about groups: from ‘deaf people can’t work in teams’ to “what can this deaf person do?”
2. Accessibility
Create an accessible built environment for people with a range of needs: access to premises, signage, lighting etc.
3. Tolerance
Tolerate processes that might take a little longer – to attract, assess, adapt + induct new talent. Invest in targeted recruitment campaigns
4. Training
Ensure training is available for managers, colleagues, recruiters, IT etc.
5. Removing barriers
Remove barriers created by IT as well as related policies + processes.
6. Aides
Welcome human aides: job coaches, interpreters, personal assistants.
Global Disability Research
The latest data and statistics from around the world.


2020 Global Economics of Disability Report

Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage

Disability and Development Report

Facts on disability in the world of work

The Win-Win of Disability Inclusion
Valuable Trend Reports
We partner with Global Data to bring you the latest disability inclusion insights from around the world.

The Valuable Truth – Tracking Progress in Global Business Disability Inclusion 2020 Results
Produced by Marianne Waite, Director of Inclusive Brands, Research by C_space, supported by Joanne Kibbey.
The Experts
These organisations can offer expertise and services to help you in specific areas of disability inclusion.

Business Disability Forum

Purple Space

ILO GBDN

Open Inclusion

Global Disability Inclusion

Ai-Media

Access Israel

Australian Network on Disability

Mirairo

Leonard Cheshire

Sminty

Mencap

Graeme Whippy

Hidden Disabilities Store

Zebedee Management

Neatebox

Be My Eyes

Remploy

Employability

AbilityNet

Evenbreak

The Open Doors Initiative

Disability Solutions

Ilumino

Barrier Break
Pushing the barriers
Disability consultant, Simon Minty talks about the barriers to disabled people being employed – Spoiler alert: they are usually about people’s attitudes.
Clocking in
In this Skills Boosters video, Simon Minty and others discuss some of the major barriers to business environments.
Why do you want this job?
What to ask disabled candidates and how you can amend your hiring process to ensure no one gets left out.
Pushing the barriers
Disability consultant, Simon Minty talks about the barriers to disabled people being employed – Spoiler alert: they are usually about people’s attitudes.
Designing for disability
In her Ted Talk, Elise Roy explains how we all win when we design for disability.
Changing Perceptions
In Caroline Casey’s Ted Talk ‘Looking past limits’, she discusses her own journey to self-acceptance and disclosure.
Microsoft Accessibility
In this video Microsoft show you how they’ve created an accessible workspace and the importance of inclusivity.
Barclays Disability Data | Accessibility Explainer
Barclays answer the top 5 questions that they get asked in this video to help everyone understand more about disability.