Top employers compete for disability awards on employment and customer service

1st October 2009

There are nearly seven million disabled people of working age in the UK, who represent 20% of the total available workforce. Despite the difficulties disabled people face in getting work, one in eight UK workers has a disability.

Many disabled people choose not to tell their employers they are disabled, often because of fears about job security. In addition, disabled people represent a large untapped customer base.

With this in mind, Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD) is celebrating the work of employers that understand the value in getting it right on disability. Seventeen employers from across the public and private sector have been shortlisted for EFD’s Disability Standard 2009 awards.

The awards celebrate good practice in disability and employment among participants in the Disability Standard. It is the only business-led benchmark that measures an organisation's performance on every aspect of disability as it affects a business.

EFD’s Chief Executive Susan Scott-Parker said: “The shortlist for the Disability Standard 2009 awards shows that many employers are leading the way in innovative good practice on disability.

“The Disability Champion award also celebrates the determination and commitment of people working in a range of industries who are striving towards disability confidence. The wide range of sectors represented in all the awards shows that getting it right on disability makes sense for all organisations.”

The people shortlisted for the Disability Champion Award 2009 are:

•    Terry Briggs, Audit Commission;

•    Sarah Hewitt, BT;

•    Sue Saunders, Home Office;

•    Carleigh Chadwick, InterContinental Hotels Group;

•    Richard Thwaite, UBS;

The following organisations have been shortlisted for the Disability Standard 2009 Innovation award:

•    Law firm Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Goalball;

•    BBC, Extend Scheme;

•    Department for Children Schools and Families, Trading Perspectives mentoring scheme;

•    Ministry of Defence Police, best practice in dealing with disabled protesters;

•    Motability Operations, the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain;

The shortlisted organisations for the Disability Standard Most Improved Award 2009 are:

•    Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust;

•    Citigroup;

•    Dyfed Powys Police;

•    Home Office;

•    Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust;

•    Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust.

The winners of all six categories and the top 10 organisations will be announced at an award ceremony on 28 October.

Ends

Notes to editors

For media enquiries and photos of award nominees, please contact:

-    Liz Nightingale via the details below, or Ann Stirling, Furner Communications, tel: 01273-202980, email: ann@furnercommunications.co.uk

The full awards categories are:

1.    Disability Confidence Award 2009;

2.    Disability Standard Most Improved Award 2009;

3.    Disability Standard Public Sector Employer Award 2009;

4.    Disability Standard Private Sector Employer Award 2009;

5.    Disability Standard Innovation Award 2009;

6.    Disability Champion Award 2009.

The Disability Standard is an online self-assessment with around 150 questions backed up by supporting evidence, and has taken place every two years since 2005.

Participants submit evidence and material on a wide range of measures which are then assessed and analysed by disability experts. A report on their performance is prepared for each participating organisation.

Media enquiries, please contact:

Liz Nightingale, Communications Manager
Employers' Forum on Disability
Email: liz.nightingale@efd.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7403 3020

About Employers' Forum on Disability

Employers' Forum on Disability is the employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects employers and service providers. With over 400 members, EFD represents organisations that employ around 20 per cent of the UK workforce.Since its establishment in 1991, EFD has worked closely with government and other stakeholders, sharing best practice to make it easier to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers.

www.efd.org.uk