Join us

Why join us?

It's not always easy to get it right. We're here to work with you. 

Don't worry if you don't know much about disability. We exist to support and enable you to become more Disability Confident. Membership of Employers' Forum on Disability provides all the tools you need to recruit and retain disabled employees and serve disabled customers. You also get the opportunity to network with other members and find out what they are doing. 

Our members represent approximately 20% of the workforce, and they must have a reason for being a member. Why not join us?

5 good reasons to be a member

1. Access expertise from your desk
2. Share and learn with other members
3. Your organisation can be ahead of the game
4. Colleagues can benefit
5. Get a free accessibility check for your website or intranet

Plus, of course, discounts on our products and services.

1. Accessing expertise from your desk

• Use our website and access the member only resources
• Read our publications (all new members receive a comprehensive pack of our world leading publications, plus a free copy of any new publications issued during the membership year).
• Listen to a radio style event over your telephone, EFD Live!
• Read our monthly E-bulletin for the latest on disability so you can feel confident that you are up to speed.
• Contact Disability Directions for any information, advice on disability or to ask them to review your policy or document

2. Sharing and learning with other members

• Events are held across the UK where you can meet other members. There are member only events across the UK including London, Scotland, Wales, Midlands, Yorkshire. (Why not have a look at forthcoming events?)
• Up to 20 events p.a.across the UK are free for members.
• Listen to a radio style event over your telephone, EFD Live!

3. Ensuring your organization is ahead of the game, along with other EFD members

• You are pretty sure you know what you are doing, but wouldn't mind double checking just to make sure?  Don't worry about being politically correct, you can ask our information and advice service, Disability Directions, easy or difficult questions related to disabled employees or customers and they will be happy to help. Any employee of a member organisation can use this service although an analysis of our calls shows that a good proportion of calls tend to be from HR or diversity specialists.
• Want to know what the latest is on the Disability Discrimination Act or the Equality Bill? Look at our website for member only briefings or contact our advice and information service, Disability Direction.  We also represent member views on the disability related aspects of the Equality Bill, so if you have strong views, please do contact us so that we can ensure we take them into account.
• Drafting a document and want a second opinion? Why not use our member only Corporate Policy Review service? This could be auditing policies, brochures, website content, job advertisements to ensure that they reflect best practice. There is no limit on the number of these extended queries per year although we do specify that each query shouldn't take us longer than 2 hours (this is to prevent us drowning under 100 page policies!). We also provide an extended policy auditing service at competitive rates.

4. Want your colleagues or line managers to get involved, but think they won't want to spend too much time on this issue?

• They can use the website (we can send you log on instructions to forward to your colleagues). You could give them links to the areas that you think they'll be interested in (e.g. impairment specific factsheets).
• You can encourage them to dial in to EFD Live! from their desk for one hour
• Let them know that they can contact our advice service Disability Directions via email or phone for advice on any disability related issue relating to staff or customers.  This means you can feel more confident that your organisation is doing the right thing in relation to disability.
• Forward them the monthly E-bulletin (or encourage them to subscribe directly)

5. Getting a free accessibility check for your website or intranet

• E-check is an expert accessibility and usability health check for your chosen website worth £350 (free to members).   You could tell your IT department about this benefit.

Your membership also entitles you to discounts on:

• multiple copies or electronic versions of our publications
• our fee paying events
• tailored training for your organisation
• the Disability Standard (an assessment and benchmarking tool).

Want some thing which isn't listed above? Why not ask us?

Please note that gold membership is available with additional benefits.  If you are a police force or a law enforcement agency, please note that members of the Police and Law Enforcement Network enjoy a special rate. The Broadcasting and Creative Industries Network has a separate membership fee structure.

To find out how to join us please complete our online membership form or contact our membership team:

Email: membership@efd.org.uk

We look forward to hearing from you, and working with you to enable Disability Confidence in your organisation.