What can we learn from the best?

Every one of the top scoring employers positions disability as a strategic objective that impacts on the organisation as a whole. In particular they:

• have a business and ethical case for disability
• share responsibility - 77% have a disability action plan in service/product development, customer service and procurement departments
• link disability action plans with their business plans (85%)
• have a senior management which is committed to achieving disability equality for both employees (77%) and customers (69%)
• introduce disability progress reviews at Board level; this works effectively for 69% of respondents
• build disability into managers' performance goals; this works effectively in 46% of organisations.

The top performers also understand the importance of developing disability confident behaviours and organisational cultures. Their disability training covers the organisation’s legal obligations and policy expectations; the business and ethical case for disability, and the need to challenge assumptions and change behaviour.

They also have communication strategies to help build support for their commitment to becoming disability confident. They also publicise their disability achievements internally and externally.

Top tips

• Set disability goals with budgets in departments across your organisation
• Build an economic/business and ethical case for disability in your organisation so that it is motivated for action beyond legal compliance
• Spread responsibility for making progress towards becoming disability confident
• Move into action to develop disability confident cultures and behaviours

Image: Consultation including the 'Talk to DES' campaign, launched by Learning Skills Council chair Chris Banks (right)