Scope champions diversity in the workplace as its number of disabled staff reaches record high

Disabled people now make up a fifth of Scopeís staff ñ double the overall proportion of disabled people employed in both the public and private sectors - following a successful drive to increase the diversity of its workforce.

Figures released today show that the number of disabled staff at Scope currently stands at 20.7 per cent of its total workforce of around 3,300 employees. This is just above the 20 per cent target Scope set itself in October 2004 - a figure which reflects the overall number of disabled people in the working population.

Achieving the target ñ which was set for December 2007- marks a milestone for the national disability organisation which employed less than 4% of disabled people among its staff in 2004. Currently more than a third of senior managers at Scope are disabled.

The target was achieved after Scope introduced a package of measures to transform its workplace culture. These included actively targeting disabled people to apply for jobs, providing relevant training for managers and adopting a reserved posts policy for disabled people.

Scope also introduced a range of practical changes to its working environment. These included enabling desks to be adjusted for wheelchair users, providing sign-language interpreters at all events and introducing new software for visually impaired staff.

Joe Bennett, Scopeís Director of Human Resources, who led the drive to increase the number of disabled staff, said:

ìI am delighted we have managed to substantially increase the number of our staff who are disabled and achieve this target. Scopeís mission is to achieve disabled peopleís equality so it is vital that disabled people are at the heart of our organisation and that their experience and views shape our work.

ìDisabled people face a number of substantial barriers to employment, particularly negative attitudes from employers. We have demonstrated what can be achieved when an organisationís culture is transformed and reasonable adjustments are made, which together help create a more open and accessible working environment for disabled staff.

ìHowever, we will not be resting on our laurels and this marks just the start of the process. We will now be working to increase the diversity of our workforce further - to ensure we have representative leadership across our organisation and so we continue to be the employer of choice for disabled people.î

For more information please contact Suzanne Stevenson in the Scope press office on 0207 619 7203 or email suzanne.stevenson@scope.org.uk