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Penny Mordaunt, Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health, has challenged British-based FTSE 100 companies to sign up to the Disability Confident scheme.

Twenty-one FTSE 100 companies have already signed up so far, including Marks & Spencer, BT and Royal Mail.

This week, construction recruitment specialist TBT Recruitment became the 5,000th organisation to become Disability Confident, pledging their commitment to attract, recruit and retain disabled workers.

This major milestone in the take up of the new scheme coincides with The Guinness Partnership becoming the 50th organisation to achieve the status of Disability Confident Leader.

The housing association has joined other employers in making a commitment to encourage and support other businesses in their network to improve support for disabled employees.

The Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health, Penny Mordaunt, says:

A fantastic range of employers from small start-ups to influential businesses like The Guinness Partnership and TBT Recruitment are making a public commitment to improve opportunities for disabled people.

If they can do it, every one of the FTSE 100 companies can take the first step by signing up to be Disability Confident too.

Disabled people make up a significant proportion of the potential workforce, and employers must ensure they don’t miss out on some of the best talent in their community.

I urge our country’s top businesses to use their power and influence to set the agenda on disability employment for companies everywhere.

Managing Director of TBT Recruitment, Scott Jeffrey, says:

We’re delighted to be the 5,000th organisation to sign up as Disability Confident. Being part of the scheme supports our commitment to providing qualified candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds to construction, rail and highways projects all over the UK.

Almost a fifth of the working age population is disabled, and the vast majority of these people will develop their condition or impairment during their working life.

Over the last four years almost 600,000 disabled people have entered the workforce. Further progress is being made through increasing the number of Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentre Plus centres and raising awareness of programmes like Disability Confident and Access to Work.

More information

The Disability Confident scheme, launched in November 2016, provides employers with the skills, examples and confidence they need to recruit, retain and develop disabled employees.

The scheme was developed with employers, disability charities, and disabled people.

FTSE 100 companies will only be eligible to sign up to the scheme if they are British based and employ staff.

The scheme has 3 levels:

• Disability Confident Committed
• Disability Confident Employer
• Disability Confident Leader

At each level employers commit to taking actions that will make a real difference to disabled employment.

To become a Disability Confident Leader, organisations must act as a champion for the scheme within their local and business communities. To reach this level organisations must also have their self-assessment validated from outside their business.

The Guinness Partnership is one of England’s largest affordable housing and care providers. They manage 65,000 homes for more than 135,000 customers.

TBT Recruitment are an experienced supplier of highly trained labour to the construction, rail and highways sectors, nationwide.

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