EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION CAMPAIGN

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE BUSINESS DISABILTY FORUM

Tell us a little about your organisation and give us an insight into your core values.

Business Disability Forum is the leading business membership organisation specialising in disability inclusion, based in the UK, and with global reach. We are well-established, not for profit organisation with a 30+ year track record.

Our 500 + membership includes organisations of all sizes, and over half are global businesses. Collectively, they represent a huge cross sector of UK and global business, employing nearly 20% of the UK workforce and an estimated 8 million people worldwide. We work with our members as trusted partners, meeting them where they are on their disability-smart journey and providing expert, tailored, trusted, advice and support on disability inclusion, as it affects business. We also provide opportunities for our membership to learn from each other and collaborate in a safe space – sharing what works and what doesn’t! And we use evidence from our membership – employers and disabled people -, representing their voice to influence Government and policy makers and shape policy.

What are your objectives for 2023?

In 2023 we want to increase our impact and support more businesses on their disability-smart journey. We will continue to provide practical tools - we have a new Procurement Toolkit in the pipeline and a refreshed People Manager Toolkit - and advice and to share best practice amongst our membership, for example via our Disability Smart Awards. We will also continue to engage with Government to highlight what works and what doesn’t in the disability policy space with an aim to effect lasting change.

We are focusing on EDI let us know how you are approaching this / how your company encompasses equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Our Mission is to drive equity and remove barriers to inclusion for disabled people as employees and consumers, by partnering with business, Government and policymakers.

Our Vision is an inclusive world where disabled people can access employment, products and services equitably. Our ethos that getting it right for disability inclusion means a whole organization approach. It’s not just the domain of HR or D,E and I teams, important though they are, but needs to cut across the whole organization, from senior leaders to line managers to premises to communication. We’ve created what we call the “Disability Smart Framework” to help organisations identify how they are doing and where to progress – and to track their progress.

Social media: @disabilitysmart (twitter)

Business Disability Forum (LinkedIn)