This is the third time DWF have been accredited as a Disability Confident Leader after becoming the first legal business to be recognised by the standard in 2017.
The Disability Confident scheme was developed by the UK Government to encourage organisations to create more inclusive recruitment and workplaces to support colleagues with disabilities entering and staying in the work force. The scheme provides tangible guidance on assessing and removing barriers to employment for people with disabilities.
It is estimated that 20%+ of the global population have some form of disability. DWF understands that this represents a huge proportion of the global candidate pool and that is it essential to support colleagues with visible and hidden disabilities including physical disabilities and mental health challenges as well as neurodivergent colleagues, those experiencing menopause and carers in order to attract and retain the best talent. DWF is also dedicated to upskilling their workforce in relation to disability inclusion and creating an environment in which colleagues with disabilities can thrive.
More than 20,000 organisations are taking part in the scheme which provides three levels of accreditation to allow for development of inclusive practices over time. The three levels include Disability Confident Committed (Level 1), Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and Disability Confident Leader (Level 3).
DWF is delighted to be accredited as a Disability Confident Leader in recognition of its commitment to creating working processes and environments that are inclusive and accessible.
Below are a few examples of the work undertaken throughout DWF in the last year to evolve its inclusive culture.
- Launching a new Workplace Adjustments policy, providing colleagues with a greater level of support and guidance on how to access the right support to reduce the impact of any barriers preventing a person from undertaking their work or activity to the best of their ability.
- DWF Pay Gap reporting was extended to include details of the disability pay gap. This inclusion was made to ensure we continue to hold ourselves to account and reduce inequalities.
- Our Diverse Ability network, which support colleagues with disabilities and their allies, was expanded to include a new Divergent Connections group. Divergent Connections was created to provide a virtual safe space for neurodivergent colleagues, family members and allies to share experiences and advice.
Harriet Quiney, DWF Partner and Diverse Ability Network Lead said: 'We are thrilled to have been accredited as a Disability Confident Leader for another three years. We will continue our efforts to drive innovation in the field of disability inclusion through our community engagement, supply chain and employee lifecycle practices'.