Categories and criteria

Disability Smart Awards categories

Business Disability Forum’s annual Disability Smart Awards showcase and celebrate the work of organisations that are improving the life experiences of disabled employees and consumers, by removing barriers to inclusion.

There are 13 Disability Smart Awards and these are open to UK and global organisations of any size, from any sector. All categories are free to enter and multiple entries are welcome.

Entries for 2025 open on 3 December 2024 and will close on 17 January 2025.

Why enter?

• Share your work to inspire others.
• Gain recognition for your organisation’s impact on the lives of disabled people.
• Meet and network with others who are leading the way in disability inclusion at our awards ceremony.

Disability Smart Diversity and Inclusion Professional Award

This Award will be given to a diversity and inclusion professional who has overseen real and tangible improvements for disabled people in their workforce and potentially beyond. We are looking for a true practitioner with a hands-on role who is dedicated to delivering disability inclusion locally, nationally or globally. We want to reward and showcase a D&I professional who has engaged teams and functions including senior leaders and whose actions have resulted in positive change that break down barriers experienced by disabled people.  

Note: Disability Network Leads, Disability Network Chairs and self-nominations are very welcome to apply in this category.  

Disability Smart Leader Award

This Award will be given to an inspirational senior leader who has led the implementation of real and tangible improvements for disabled people. We are looking for an individual who leads by example and uses their position and seniority to create a better environment for disabled people locally, nationally or globally. We want to reward and showcase a leader who is a real change maker and has truly driven disability inclusion to make positive change that break down barriers experienced by disabled people.  

Note: Self-nominations are very welcome to apply in this category.  

Disability Smart Technology Award

This Award will be given to a use of technology that has really improved the life opportunities and experiences of disabled people, in the workplace, as a consumer or in wider society. This might be through an innovative use of existing technology or through the development of a new digital or assistive technology product that has been created within the last 18 months and that has gone the extra mile to break down barriers experienced by disabled people.   

Disability Smart Inclusive Workplace Experience Award – large organisation (250+ employees)

This Award will be given to an organisation with more than 250 staff that is a great place to work. We are looking for an organisation that demonstrates that it really values the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all its workers, including disabled people, and has thoughtful, engaging and inclusive workplace practices. This might be through a new way of delivering effective workplace adjustments, a holistic wellbeing programme, accessible and inclusive learning and development solutions or a truly inclusive approach to the workplace that enables disabled people to grow, develop and thrive in the organisation.  

Disability Smart Inclusive Workplace Experience Award – small organisation (up to 250 employees)

This Award will be given to an SME (small or medium-sized organisation with less than 250 staff) that is a great place to work. We are looking for an organisation that demonstrates that it really values the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all its workers, including disabled people, and has thoughtful, engaging and inclusive workplace practices. This might be through a new way of delivering effective workplace adjustments, a holistic wellbeing programme, accessible and inclusive learning and development solutions or a truly inclusive approach to the workplace that enables disabled people to grow, develop and thrive in the organisation.  

Disability Smart Inclusive Recruitment Award

This Award will be given to an organisation or team that has created innovative, engaging and most of all, inclusive and accessible recruitment campaigns that has resulted in greater numbers of disabled people obtaining work or accessing a profession. We want to reward and showcase an organisation or team that has gone the extra mile to break down barriers experienced by disabled people.   

Disability Smart Inclusive Communication Campaign Award

This Award will be given to an organisation or team that has created a truly inclusive internal or external communication campaign. We want to hear about how you involved your disabled staff, customers, service users or other stakeholders in your campaign from start to finish. Please tell us about the different communication channels you used to make sure everyone could access and use the content you created. We also want to reward and showcase an organisation or team which has sought to improve the portrayal of disability through their campaign and has increased understanding of disability diversity.  

Disability Smart Accessible Built Environment Award

This Award will be given to an organisation that has created accessible and inclusive physical environments for everyone, including disabled people. We are looking for environments that support the physical and mental health and wellbeing of everyone who lives, works or spends time in them – whether employees, customers or other stakeholders, including the general public – and that are truly inclusive.  

Disability Smart Inclusive Customer Experience Award – large organisation (250+ employees)

This Award will be given to an organisation with more than 250 staff that has provided excellent customer experience to everyone – including disabled people. We want to reward and showcase truly inclusive customer service from an organisation which has gone the extra mile to break down barriers experienced by disabled people. This might be a genuinely inclusive approach to customer service or creating a new product or service to meet the needs of disabled customers.  

Disability Smart Inclusive Customer Experience Award – small organisation (up to 250 employees)

This Award will be given to an SME (small or medium-sized with less than 250 staff) that has provided excellent customer experience to everyone – including disabled people. We want to reward and showcase truly inclusive customer service from an organisation which has gone the extra mile to break down barriers experienced by disabled people. This might be a genuinely inclusive approach to customer service or creating a new product or service to meet the needs of disabled customers.  

Disability Smart Global Disability Inclusion Award

This Award will be given to a global organisation or team that has made a tangible, positive impact to the lives of disabled employees, customers, or service users – across a global setting. This might be through the introduction of best practice solutions, a new campaign, service or product, where the benefit has been achieved across a number of different geographic regions. We are looking for innovative approaches to accessibility and inclusion that have overcome any challenges of implementation across different geographies and cultures, resulting in a more disability inclusive culture within your global organisation.  

Disability Smart Inclusive Product Design Award

This award will go to an organisation or team that has created a new product (in the last 18 months) which is both accessible and aspirational in terms of its functionality and design. We are looking for a product which has thoughtfully considered inclusion for everyone including people with disabilities from the outset and which has built in end-to-end inclusive design from inception to delivery.  

Disability Smart Procurement Award (New for 2025)

This award will go to an organisation or team that have improved the life opportunities and experiences for disabled people through inclusive procurement practices. This might be through ensuring that products and services procured are inclusive and accessible and/or choosing suppliers with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences of disability.

Disability Smart Awards entry criteria

The winner in each Disability Smart Award category will demonstrate real achievement in all of the three following areas related to the same piece of work or project.

Innovation 

The organisation, individual or team has introduced or developed innovative approaches, projects or practices to improve disabled people’s lives, which have not been seen before. 

Inclusion 

The organisation, individual or team has designed an approach, project or practice which has thoughtfully considered accessibility and inclusion for everyone, including disabled people from the outset, and has involved disabled people throughout its development. 

Impact 

The organisation, individual or team has demonstrated that its approach, project or practice already benefits, or could benefit disabled people, and that it has or could have a significant positive impact on their lives. (We will assess impact relevant to the size of your organisation.)

Disability Confident Awards categories

There are 2 Disability Confident Awards for organisations registered for the UK Government’s Disability Confident employer scheme. Free to enter, these categories are independent of the Disability Smart Awards, and are judged by the Department for Work and Pensions Disability Confident Team.  

Disability Confident Award – small organisation (up to 250 employees)

This award will recognise how a small organisation has adapted its practices in new and innovative ways to ensure inclusion for disabled employees. The organisation will demonstrate effective leadership internally and externally, demonstrating the ability to influence other employers in driving cultural change that incorporates diversity and inclusion practices, benefiting disabled people.

Disability Confident Award – large organisation (250+ employees)

This award will recognise how a large organisation has adapted its practices in new and innovative ways to ensure inclusion for disabled employees. The organisation will demonstrate effective leadership internally and externally, demonstrating the ability to influence other employers in driving cultural change that incorporates diversity and inclusion practices, benefiting disabled people.

Disability Confident Awards entry criteria

The winner in each category will demonstrate real achievement in all of the three following areas:

Making a change

The organisation has taken significant action when progressing through the Disability Confident scheme, positively changing attitudes and behaviour, whilst offering work-related opportunities such as; jobs, apprenticeships, internships or work experience.

Innovation

The organisation found new, innovative and inclusive ways to support disabled people, working with community partners or supplier organisations, sharing best practice, resources and expertise, whilst ensuring workplace adjustments are in place.

Breaking down barriers

Barriers have been identified, broken down and removed for disabled employees, clients and customers, addressing organisational challenges to ensure a long term positive impact on the lives of disabled people.

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