Proud to be a disability confident leader

We’ve been awarded the Disability Confident Leadership status – the highest possible level under the Government’s scheme.

Led by the Government, the Disability Confident employer scheme encourages employers to take action in improving how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. There’s a number of different levels to the scheme, with the highest being the Disability Confident Leadership status.

To reach the highest status, we had to demonstrate how we’ve actively removed barriers that might prevent disabled people and those with long term health conditions from accessing employment, as well as make sure they have opportunities to fulfil their potential.

We’ve done a number of things to do this, including:

1. Making sure our recruitment process is disability inclusive

We’ve worked closely with Liberty*, our Disability Network, to understand ways we can improve our recruitment process to encourage more disabled candidates to apply. This has included:

• Promoting our Disability Confident status on our website and job adverts
• Giving potential candidates the option to contact us about reasonable adjustments
• Minimising essential criteria to what is really essential
• Making our website is accessible
• Removing the need for a driver’s license (unless there is a sound business case)
• Taking part in the guaranteed interview scheme
• Making sure our assessments rely less on interviews and more on practical work-based exercises that demonstrate the skills a candidate has

2. Launched our inclusion learning framework

This includes a mix of mandatory and optional learning opportunities, including a suite of self-led learning resources where colleagues can choose how and when they learn.

3. Offer reasonable adjustments for colleagues

We have a dedicated Wellbeing Lead, as well as in-house DSE assessors, who can support colleagues with any adjustments needed.

4. Working closely with Liberty*

We were praised for our work with Liberty*, who offer support to make sure we’re promoting a disability confident culture across the business.  

5. Introduced reverse mentoring

This programme sees our frontline colleagues mentoring our executive and leadership teams to increase their understanding of life and work of our disabled colleagues. By improving the understanding of our leadership and executive team, we improve their ability to lead in a disability confident manner.

Bal Kang, our Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Sponsor of Liberty*, said: "It’s great that we’ve been externally recognised in this area and it’s a real testament to the work and support of our colleagues for championing inclusion in all its forms. Whilst this is something to be proud of, it doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels and we know there’s still so much more we can do."

We have four brilliant Inclusion Networks that all colleagues are welcome to join. There’s Liberty*, Balance (our women’s network), Harmony (our LGBT+ network) and Unity (our race network). Find out more – along with our other great benefits of working here – by reading here.