eXPD8 become the 5th Retail business in the UK to achieve Disability Confident Leader status

eXPD8 has recently achieved ‘Disability Confident Leader’ status, the highest level possible in the Government’s Disability Confident campaign.

eXPD8 become one of only five retail businesses in the UK to achieve the Leadership status and one of eight businesses in the South West.  The accreditation is an external validation of eXPD8’s commitment to promote the recruitment, engagement and development of people with disabilities, and encourage other employers to do the same.

Disability Confident encourages employers to be positive about the skills that people with disabilities can bring to the workforce, and to remove barriers to recruiting and retaining employees with disabilities. To be a Leader means doing the right thing, setting the right example, and sharing best practice.

Mark Thurgood, Co-Owner of eXPD8 says; “Disabled people can bring a wealth of talent and different perspectives to an organisation, and I want to encourage more companies to make sure they’re not missing out on this huge, untapped pool of talent. We’re proud to be a fully inclusive employer helping to positively change attitudes, behaviours and cultures”

Over the last 6 months, the business has driven activities such as:

• Launch of a companywide reasonable adjustment/accommodation policy and process, following an employee consultation which outlines how employees can make requests, and where line managers can get support.
• Ensuring employees are asked if they would like to request adjustments during recruitment, learning and development.
• Adding accessibility information to the website so people can understand how to amend the font size and background and providing a dedicated email address for anyone experiencing accessibility issues when making an online application.
• Instigating a training program for all managers and creating a Disability Confident training pack to be shared on an e-learning platform and completed by all new starters and as an annual refresher.
• Launched a work experience and work placement scheme for disabled people to build their confidence, skills and experience.

Kinny Chinangwa, Development Manager at WECIL (West of England Centre for Inclusive Living), says, “On behalf of WECIL I would like to congratulate eXPD8 in becoming a Disability Confident Leader. eXPD8 have shown how important being an inclusive employer is by engaging with a Disability charity in WECIL. This allowed them to benefit from our support through participating in Disability Equality Training, looking at their recruitment policies and using their own initiative to develop support guides for staff around making reasonable adjustments for disabled people. I’ve been involved in their progression to Disability Confident Leader status and they have worked really hard in creating an environment that is inclusive and accessible for disabled people to work in.”