Broadcasters commit to doubling the number of disabled staff by 2020.

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky have recently pledged their support to becoming ‘more inclusive’. Lord Hall, director general of the BBC, said: “As an industry we must do more to increase the number of disabled people working in broadcasting.”

In this article, we talk about the Inclusive Workplace Network, a membership network of companies who want to become more inclusive of disabled people, and how your company can get involved.

Work can be of fundamental importance to who we are

For many disabled people, work is of fundamental importance to who they are. Work is not just about the money in your pocket at the end of the day. It brings personal benefits and is seen by disabled people as a way to contribute to society, maintain social connections and promote self-worth.

While employment is identified by disabled people as being one of the biggest enablers to living the life you choose, getting into and staying in work can be a huge challenge. Disabled people are twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled people, and the difference in employment rates between both groups known as the ‘disability employment gap’, has remained at around 30 percentage points for over a decade.

To add to that, our recent research uncovered that one in two (53%) disabled people have experienced bullying or harassment at work because of their impairment or condition. And 58% of disabled people have felt at risk of losing their job because of their impairment.

Things need to change

Disabled people tell us that there are many barriers that prevent disabled people from finding work and progressing in employment. These include negative attitudes from employers, colleagues and recruitment agencies, inaccessible workplaces, inflexible working practices and outdated policies.

At Scope we know that to drive societal change we need to drive change in the workplace. We have been working with companies on improving attitudes, behaviours and processes.

Many companies also recognise the commercial benefits of changing their culture and becoming more inclusive. The ‘purple pound’ is valued at £249 billion per year, with an online spend of £16 billion. Having a more inclusive working culture and employing more disabled people will give companies a better understanding of this large consumer group.

The Inclusive Workplace Network

In response to these factors we launched the Inclusive Workplace Network, a membership network of companies who want to become more inclusive of disabled people. Members receive a thorough review of several aspects of their business, from their policies and HR processes through to their health and safety procedures. Based on this data collection and staff surveys, they’re given thorough advice, support and recommendations on improvements. We will also provide support from a Scope employment adviser, sessions with Scope Workplace Role Models who will share their stories, and invitations to employment events with other network members.

We will be hosting a breakfast meeting on 30 January 2019 at a Central London location for companies interested in joining the Inclusive Workplace Network. You’ll hear about practical ways in which your organisation can become more inclusive of disabled people by improving accessibility and changing perceptions of disabled people at work.

To register your interest in the event, please contact InclusiveWorkplaceNetwork@scope.org.uk