Last Modified: 9 December 2024
Welcome to Business Disability Forum’s Getting Started Toolkit.
We know that it can be hard for organisations to know where to start with disability inclusion, so this Toolkit is designed to help BDF Members and Partners get started on their journey of disability inclusion.
Some resources in this Toolkit are free and open to all. Members and Partners enjoy exclusive access to the full range of Knowledge Hub resources plus additional membership benefits.
The advice and guidance provided in the resources in this Toolkit should help your organisation start to work out what its doing well, where it can improve, and what sorts of actions it should take to get started.
You can view a content list of the resources contained in this Toolkit or browse them below, where they are arranged into sections.
Watch the webinar launch of the Getting Started Toolkit below:
Toolkit resources
First steps
Why become a disability inclusive organisation?
Shareable advice to help you make the case within your organisation for disability inclusion.
First steps – Who to involve
How to build wider support for disability inclusion in your organisation, and who to target.
First steps – Gathering information
To become more inclusive, you will need key information to understand what your organisation needs…
First steps – How to start being inclusive
Starting off in the right way will help you make the case for disability inclusion.
First steps – Sources of external support
Getting started is much easier when you get help – we introduce some of the…
Introduction: Getting started
Foreword to the Getting Started Toolkit by Diane Lightfoot
We are delighted to be launching our new Getting Started Toolkit, to help you to…
What this Toolkit will help you to do and how to use it
We’ve made this Getting Started Toolkit to help you do just that – get started…
Getting started – Knowing where you’re starting from
Before you can get started at improving your organisation’s disability inclusion, you need to know…
Planning milestones
While every organisation’s journey to greater disability inclusion will be different, there are some milestones…
Getting Started: Infographics
A series of infographics on disability.
How to admit that your organisation can do better
Getting started on disability inclusion often means admitting that your organisation can do things better…
Case Study: Lloyds Banking Group and their Personal Development Programme
We spoke to Lloyds Banking Group about their Personal Development Programme, and how it’s supported…
Section 1: Why disability matters
Why disability matters: The business or commercial case
How your business can grow and innovate through disability inclusion.
Why disability matters: The law
This resource presents the legal reasons to think about disability inclusion.
Why disability matters: It’s the right thing to do
This section of the Toolkit looks at why disability matters, and we present three reasons…
Making the case for disability inclusion
Consider your audience’s experiences and aims when convincing them of the importance of disability inclusion.
Section 2: What is disability?
What is disability? Identities and definitions
We are often asked ‘what is disability?’ This resource aims to provide you with an…
Different disabilities
The definition of a disability is very broad and covers people you may not have…
Talking to people about their disabilities
This resource discusses how to think about language when talking to someone about their disability.
Top tips for talking about disability
It is important to talk positively and openly about the importance of disability inclusion and…
Section 3: Recruiting and retaining disabled colleagues
Attracting and hiring disabled candidates
Building the expectation of welcoming and fair treatment for disabled applicants into your employer brand…
Barrier-free recruitment
Your recruitment processes should be built from the outset in way that is conscious of…
Creating an inclusive culture
Changing an organisation’s culture can be one of the trickier things to do – but…
When someone tells you they have a disability
Someone telling you they have a disability can be a sensitive conversation, so it’s important…
Making workplace adjustments
Adjustments are changes to the way a person works in order to remove or mitigate…
Career development
This resource provides guidance about how to prevent your disabled employees’ career development falling behind…
Career development – Disabled employees and professional growth
Routes to career development can be blocked for disabled employees. This guide will support organisations…
Section 4: Welcoming disabled customers
The importance of welcoming disabled customers
Welcoming disabled customers is an essential part of good customer service.
Good customer service
Receiving good customer service is important to everyone, but it can be particularly important to…
Communicating effectively with your customers
Effective communication benefits all your customers – including your disabled customers – and makes good…
Talking to disabled customers in person
We all have preferred ways that we like to communicate. For some people having a…
Communicating with disabled customers online
We all have preferred ways that we like to communicate. For some people having a…
Talking to disabled customers over the phone
In many instances, you may not be aware that a customer that you are about…
Providing services to disabled customers at home
When delivering services to customers in their home, it is always important to keep in…
Appointments with disabled customers
This resources gives guidance on making appointments with disabled customers and making reasonable adjustments.
Section 5: Accessible environments
Making your premises accessible
Accessible premises are vital for making sure your disabled employees, customers, and anyone else who…
Digital inclusion
Accessible environments cover more than just physical environments. You also need to make sure your…
Inclusive communication
Here are some top tips for making sure your organisation is talking to everyone, including…
If you require this content in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.
© This resource and the information contained therein are subject to copyright and remain the property of the Business Disability Forum. They are for reference only and must not be copied or distributed without prior permission.
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