Boots HR director appointed as retail ambassador for disability and access
The Cabinet Office Disability Unit has confirmed that Boots HR director Ben Horner has been appointed as disability and access ambassador for the retail sector.
He will be one of 20 ambassadors from a range of sectors who will also work together as a group to galvanise and encourage accessibility.
The voluntary position will see Horner leading the way among retail business leaders to drive improvements to the accessibility and quality of services and facilities for disabled people, both as consumers and as employees.
The disability and access ambassadors are appointed by the Minister for Disabled People, Chloe Smith MP.
At Boots and No7 Beauty Company, Horner has introduced several initiatives to support disabled team members, including new workplace adjustment processes and support passports. He also championed the company’s 2021 Health and Beauty Sector Partnership with Purple Tuesday.
Horner said: “I am very proud to have been appointed as Disability and Access Ambassador for the retail sector – a role that I personally feel very passionately about. The retail sector has been making great progress in improving accessibility both for its customers and in supporting more inclusivity among the workforce. I feel honoured to have been asked to play a wider role to improve awareness and support continued progress for people with disabilities.”
In 2022, Boots became the first retailer in the UK to introduce the Recite Me accessibility toolbar on its website which allows customers to create a customisable and inclusive shopping experience. The retailer has also championed the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme and the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme.
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