John Lewis achieves Disability Confident Leader status
The John Lewis Partnership has been awarded Disability Confident Leader status.
The accreditation, which is the highest in the Department for Work and Pensions’ scheme, recognises the retailer’s commitment to leading the way on employing people with disabilities.
The Partnership has been a Disability Confident Employer since 2017.
Yulia O’Mahony, head of D&I and wellbeing at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We are very proud to have achieved the status of Disability Confident Leader, in recognition for our work in ensuring the Partnership is an accessible and inclusive place of work and all partners can fulfil their potential.
“Providing employment opportunities for people of all abilities is not only the right thing to do but benefits us a business through accessing and unleashing diverse talent and expertise, and we will continue to strive to push the boundaries of being a disability confident employer.”
To encourage a positive approach to disability, the Partnership arranges disability awareness training for all staff and bias and mental health training for line managers. It also runs an Ability Network whose 600 members help raise awareness about mental or physical challenges that staff face and the support available.
In addition, the Partnership works with the Business Disability Forum and belongs to the Disability Confident Leaders Group, which aims to engage the business community on disability employment.