We've joined the Business Disability Forum and launched a new network for colleagues with disabilities.
With one in four people in the UK living with a disability, we’ve been partnering with organisations such as Scope to help our most vulnerable customers. We also recognise the benefits that having a broad, inclusive workforce reflective of the communities we serve can bring.
To help us on our journey to become a more disability-friendly organisation, we’ve joined Business Disability Forum, the leading business membership organisation in disability inclusion. Working together, Business Disability Forum will advise and support us to become more disability-smart through their advice service for managers, networking opportunities and a self-assessment framework.
We are also delighted to announce the creation of Ability @ SGN, our new network for colleagues with health conditions and disabilities and their allies. It’s been set up by Econometric Manager Jonathan Bryson, who will also be acting as Chair of the network. Jonathan lives with a mild form of Cerebral Palsy and joined us six months ago from Scottish Water, where he helped establish a similar staff network, building a community offering each other support and successfully advocating for disabled colleagues. Jonathan is also one of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Partners.
Raj Ghai, Head of Equality, Diversion and Inclusion at SGN said: “We know we have disabled colleagues around the company who are passionate about issues that directly affect their community as well as allies who want to support them. Many of our colleagues may benefit from adjustments to their working environment, working activities or work patterns, together known as ‘reasonable adjustments’. While many have these in place, we want to make sure everyone who needs support has the opportunity to get it.
“We’re also mindful that there may be some colleagues who don’t feel entirely comfortable with being able to share the impact their health condition has on their lives. Some may not even consider their health condition as a disability, while others may have acquired a health condition and are still coming to terms with it themselves. Some may fear that sharing the nature of their health condition may stop them getting career progression, or even mean they are redeployed or lose their job.”
While each person’s decision on whether they share they have a condition is a very personal thing, we want everyone to feel comfortable in sharing whatever information they wish, access mutual support, and receive any reasonable adjustments that will aid their working lives.
Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, said: “We are delighted to welcome SGN as a Member of Business Disability Forum. They join a network of over 550 businesses across the private, public and voluntary sectors who want to make a real difference to their disabled colleagues and customers. We look forward to working with SGN on their disability-smart journey and to supporting them to create an organisation where everyone can thrive.”
Andrew Quail, Chief Transformation and Information Officer and Executive Sponsor of Ability @ SGN, said: “I’m acutely aware of the need to overcome the many prejudices and obstacles that stand in the way of inclusion and fairness, enabling all to be their best in this world and have the help and support they need to do that, and that includes carers of those with disabilities. We have quite a long journey to go on here, but helping our managers better support colleagues with impairments, creating an open and inclusive environment, as well as looking after the vulnerable customers in the communities we serve is a purpose worth chasing and it’s certainly one I will be getting behind.”
