Disability Inclusion in the Workplace
This factsheet outlines the benefits of disability inclusion and how businesses can inspire, hire and grow talented disabled employees.
Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful for employers in the UK to discriminate against anyone with a disability. Employers also have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to remove or reduce the impact of barriers that disabled people experience at work or obtaining work. Despite this, disabled people experience worse employment outcomes, with 19% of employers stating that they would be less likely to hire a disabled person1.
This factsheet highlights Business in the Community’s (BITC) Opening Doors inclusive recruitment campaign and includes case studies from businesses explaining what they are doing to recruit and retain disabled employees in the workforce. It incudes examples from Thames Water, Ricoh and Capita.
BITC has an ambition to make 2 million jobs more inclusive by 2025 and is delighted that so many employers have already committed to the campaign, including its sponsors AXA UK and City & Guilds.
Open your doors to untapped talent by joining our inclusive recruitment campaign.
Business in the Community’s work on employment and skills
BITC supports organisations to create meaningful employment. This is one of the most significant ways that business contributes to the livelihoods of individuals and communities, and is for many the only sustainable route out of poverty.
Offering quality experience of work, adopting new approaches to recruitment and breaking down barriers to entering work for people from disadvantaged groups can benefit business by tackling skills shortages, building new talent pipelines, boosting retention rates and achieving higher productivity.
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References
1 Leonard Cheshire (2021), Still Locked out: Breaking down the barriers to disability inclusive employment