Medequip’s approach to inclusivity was showcased at a recent high-profile event held at the House of Lords, when our Human Resources Business Partner Aditi Dave was invited to speak at the briefing and launch of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Employer Action Group.
Hosted by Baroness Nicky Morgan, the group is convened by The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), in partnership with The British Association for Supported Employment (BASE). It is seeking to increase the quantity and quality of opportunities offered by employers to young people with SEND in order to improve their transitions into the workplace.
Challenging practices and removing barriers
The event brought together employers, education providers, local authorities and support organisations to discuss how greater collaboration can create more inclusive employment pathways. These discussions reinforced the importance of challenging traditional recruitment practices, removing barriers to employment, and working collectively to ensure that talented individuals are given the opportunity to succeed.
Baroness Morgan set the scene for the event by stating that employers are giving the group the same messages. They want to do the right thing, they have concerns over getting it wrong, and they need support on how to start and who to trust.
Sharing learning and experience
Four employers were invited to speak and to demonstrate their approach and leadership by sharing information so other employers could learn from their experience; Hilton Hotels, Amazon, restaurant chain Nando’s and Medequip.
Amazon talked about how the distribution giant has successfully scaled their efforts in a short period of time, demonstrating how they prioritised to make this scale possible. Hilton Hotels discussed how they leaned into a partnership approach, and why they chose this as a starting point.
Nando’s has achieved steps forward by empowering restaurant teams and having the confidence to put their strategy into the hands of their staff. For Medequip, Aditi outlined how Medequip has embedded inclusivity into processes and systems, explaining what we had to build behind the scenes first.
Into the future
A further meeting was held in August to introduce all new employers joining the SEND Action group and to formulate a plan for more engagement in youth supported employment, working together to improve outcomes.
Medequip is continuing to strengthen its commitment to disability inclusion and inclusive employment practices, building on the valuable insights and partnerships gained through this event.