The Business Disability Forum
Youmanity reports on the amazing work carried out by the Business Disability Forum (BDS). This is a non-profit organisation that facilitates a supportive relationship between disabled persons, employers and businesses. BDS does this by providing invaluable expert advice as well as providing training and networking opportunities. They also help organisations become fully accessible to disabled customers and employees.
BDS main objective is to transform the life chances – and experience – of disabled people as employees and consumers. To achieve this remarkable objective they bring together business people, disabled opinion leaders and government to understand what needs to change if disabled people are to be treated fairly so that they can contribute to business success, to society and to economic growth.
The organisation has over twenty years’ experience of working with public and private sector organisations. BDS have 300 impressive members who employ around 15% of the UK workforce and range from FTSE 100 companies and central Government departments to transport providers, construction companies, retailers, higher education providers and public services.
Another key objective of BDS is to raise awareness of non-visible disabilities:
“Something like 96% of disabilities are not physical and yet there is little understanding of what a non‑visible disability is and how to support someone who has one.” Diane Lightfoot, CEO Business Disability Forum.
