Case histories

Co-production is much more than simply consulting disabled people about how employment policy impacts on them, or how best they can access your products and services. It is about ensuring disabled people can access the leadership of the organisation and add value at every stage of policy and product delivery.

When leaders listen

Systematically working with disabled people at every stage of major facilities changes, is a core component of the BBC’s commitment to co-production.

Disabled people are invited to monitor the ‘big ticket’ developments happening in the business. For example, the relocation to BBC North Media City and the W1 Broadcasting House extension were both undertaken with the full involvement and engagement with their disabled employee network BBC Ability.

Disabled people are actively invited to work with senior people in these initiatives to raise concerns as well as generate solutions. When something requires significant involvement the functional team will form a ‘working group’ together with disabled people. Crucially disabled people are encouraged to have a routine and meaningful dialogue with the BBC about disabled people both in terms of employment practice as well as portrayal. Disabled people who are members of BBC Ability regularly report back to the Diversity Board headed by the Director General Mark Thompson.

Being partners when setting the standards

In 2007 Royal Mail Group appointed an external Disability Leadership Panel which comprises some of the most effective disabled and non disabled thought leaders in the UK. Established to create and monitor Royal Mail’s Disability Equality Programme. The panel works in partnership with business leaders across the business units to improve the accessibility standards of key services.

Providing practical feedback from day one

Creating improvements in policy, practice and procedure is something Citi is keen to do with the involvement of its disabled employees.

When updating policies on disability they deliberately consulted and engaged with disabled people via the network – Citi disability.  It was the network that was able to provide key practical feedback about how to position the ‘Manager’s guide to disability’ ensuring that it contained relevant information about managing an employee with a disability which reflected both the letter of the law but also the spirit of Citi’s desire to be inclusive.

The policy was expanded to include a section about managing people who have caring responsibilities.

In 2007 Sky developed the Sky+ Easy Grip Remote Control, the first Accessible Remote designed to help people hold the remote securely without having to grip tightly. When the research was carried out it was discovered that over 10.3 million adults living alone had difficulty lifting and carrying objects.

During the planning stages, Sky consulted with disabled people and their feedback was incorporated in the design. As a result Sky was awarded an Age OK accreditation by Help the Aged and Age Concern. The Easy Grip remotes’ features include raised buttons with larger text and a choice of battery doors, one of which features a strap which wraps around the hand.

Developing processes together

Lloyds Banking Group was aware through informal feedback from colleagues that its reasonable adjustment process was too slow and complex. In December 2009, Mark Fisher, the Director of Group Operations and the bank's Disability Champion, commissioned a survey of all disabled colleagues across the Group to hear their thoughts on reasonable adjustments and gain an understanding of where things were not working as well as they should.

The survey confirmed the informal feedback and a new Workplace Adjustment process was defined by a team of key stakeholders including Access, the bank's disabled staff network. Feedback from Access ensured that not only the 'mechanics' of the new process met the needs of disabled colleagues but so did the 'culture' or ethos of the process, for example that the case managers had experience of disability and empathy with disabled people.

Access also helped develop policy and guidelines for non-physical adjustments (such as rest breaks, modified targets, etc.) to help colleagues and Line Managers understand what is 'reasonable' when it comes to making such adjustments.

In the 9 months from March 2010 (when the new process was implemented) to the end of December 2010 over 1,200 colleagues had gone through the workplace adjustment process and the feedback was overwhelming positive with the majority of colleagues rating it "excellent" or "very good".