Disability Smart Self-Assessment: FAQs

What is the Disability Smart Self-Assessment?

Our online Disability Smart Self-Assessment tool gives you (Members and Partners) the opportunity to assess your starting point, and progression, against each of the ten sections of our Disability Smart Framework.

At Business Disability Forum we always talk about a need for a holistic approach to disability inclusion – a strategy that looks at behaviours and culture across the whole business or organisation. Our ten sections therefore cover core business areas that are generic across sectors:

• Leadership
• Learning and development
• Workplace adjustments
• Recruitment
• Retention
• Customers and service users
• Procurement
• Communication
• Built environment
• Technology.

How can you start a Self-Assessment?

The nominated ‘superuser’ in your organisation has access to the Self-Assessment for your organisation, and is the only person that can start one. They need to log in to their account to do this.

If you have problems logging in to your account email membership@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

If you are not sure who your organisation’s superuser is email enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

Who completes it?

Superusers can complete sections and also assign and invite colleagues to fill in specific sections. If a colleague doesn’t appear as an option to select, ask them to register for access to the Knowledge Hub first. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to speak to your Business Partner or Senior Business Partner.

What questions are asked?

You will be asked just over 130 questions in total across the ten sections. They reflect measures that should be observable and having an impact in your organisation relating to:

• your leadership teams and how they champion disability inclusion
• your policies and procedures
• your delivery and review mechanisms.

Each section ends with a couple of questions that explore attributes that would reflect an advanced approach to disability inclusion. You don’t have to complete all 130 questions at once, you can complete section by section and keep returning to it.

Will I be expected to know all the answers?

The short answer is ‘no’. At this stage, particularly if this is your first assessment, there will be questions you are unsure of and areas that you may want to consult colleagues about. For some questions you may want to answer with your best estimate without consultation internally. Remember that this self-assessment is for you, it is not validated by us and it is a tool to help you identify gaps in your policies and procedures, your disability inclusion activity and how you review your progress.

We recommend that you answer as many questions as possible and as honestly as possible for this to be effective, and try to avoid Not Applicable answers.

Can I get help from BDF to fill it in?

Yes. Some of our Members and Partners agree a time to do this together with their Business Partner or Senior Business Partner. We can explain the questions as you go, give some context and help you consider your response. Others will complete it online independently and then discuss their results with their Business Partner or Senior Business Partner. Whatever way you want to approach this, we will support you.

How does the scoring work and what can I interpret from the results?

It is a straightforward scoring system where you will receive a percentage score for each section that is calculated on the number of measures you positively fulfil (‘Yes’), minus the ‘Not applicable’, against the maximum score you could achieve. Results from each section build up to an overall score. The maximum overall (and section) score that an organisation can achieve is 100 per cent.

In general if you score below 70 per cent in any one section, we recommend that this needs further review and you will be able to note which individual responses negatively impacted your score. Follow up discussions with your Business Partner or Senior Business Partner will identify your challenges in these areas and ways forward.

If you fill in all the sections of the Self-Assessment your superuser will have the option to download a report. This will discuss the sections where you scored lowest first and then run through the others. Each page of the report signposts you to related Knowledge Hub resources, Networks or Taskforces you might want to join and other relevant services at Business Disability Forum.

When all sections are complete, the superuser can access a report download of the results. We advise that you talk to us for further advice on how to prioritise actions going forward.

Do I repeat the Disability Smart Self-Assessment?

We strongly recommend that you do. Use the first exercise for creating a baseline and then repeat your Self-Assessment at least annually or when you know there have been significant changes in your organisation that mean you would like to review where you stand. This tool is part of your membership, please use it as many times as is useful for your organisation.

Some Members and Partners move from the Disability Smart Self-Assessment to a Disability Smart Audit, which is a consultancy based exercise requiring evidence and validation. You can explore the option of an audit with your Business Partner or Senior Business Partner at any time.

Is the Self-Assessment available in alternative formats?

Yes. Please contact your Business Partner or Senior Business Partner so we can ensure we can send you a format that is most effective for you.

If you require this content in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.