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Gold card group commitment

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Contents

Introduction

BT Group plc is the listed holding company for an integrated group of businesses that provide voice and data services in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

Further businesses make up BT Group plc, including Btexact Technologies, which helps businesses and organisations gain maximum advantage from communications technology.

Our ambition is to be the best provider of communications services and solutions for everybody in the UK and for corporate customers in the rest of Europe, with global reach delivered through partnerships.

BT's Equal Opportunity Policy and the Two Ticks Scheme

As well as meeting its legal requirements, BT is committed to proactively developing and sustaining positive measures that will encourage the recruitment, development and retention of disabled people. To support this commitment, BT has signed-up to use the Jobcentre Plus 'Two Ticks' disability symbol. This means that BT now has a commitment under each of the following areas.

Full advantage is taken of available Government schemes to aid the employment of people with disabilities.

Job interviews

BT guarantees to interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for an advertised job vacancy and consider them on their abilities. In addition, disabled applicants are given preference for jobs if they are one of several equally suitable candidates.

Consultation

At least once a year, as part of Personal Development Review discussions, BT consults disabled employees on what the company can do to make sure they receive continued development and optimum use of their skills. BT also holds regular Forums with our disabled employees providing an opportunity to celebrate success and discuss and resolve any issues.

Retaining employees if they become disabled

BT makes every effort to ensure that employees who become disabled or have a degenerative condition can stay in employment. Line managers are supported in providing suitable retraining and rehabilitation, where necessary. The expertise of Abilitynet and the able2 Network is available to support individuals and line managers in developing workable solutions.

Improving knowledge

Through our Global Equality & Diversity Forum and a network of Diversity Champions and coaches, BT takes action to ensure that key employees e.g. senior managers, line managers with vacancies, supply chain managers and customer facing people develop an awareness of disability so that our commitment lives throughout the company and is evident in everything we do.

Checking progress and planning ahead

Our commitments are reviewed at least once a year and future improvement plans put in place. BT people are made aware about progress and inform our future plans. To support this policy further BT is a Gold Card member of the Employers' Forum on Disability, which provides a best practice standard for the employment of people with disabilities.

BT actively pursues the achievement of the best practice standards recommended by the Forum in its 10 Point Agenda on Employment.

BT Initiatives to Progress Service to People with Disabilities

BT places great importance on inclusivity and has appointed a Disability Champion - Ian Morfett, BT Wholesale's Managing Director of Strategy and Business Development. In this role Ian proactively works to resolve issues and maximise opportunities inside the company while working with organisations such as the Employer's Forum on Disability to ensure that BT is at the forefront of best practice. Ian closely supports the able2 Network and is also committed to supporting AccessAbility roadshows (see AccessAbility below).

BT has policies in place to involve and inform disabled people and on a practical level develops accessible products and services for both employees and customers through our research laboratories at BTexact Future Technologies and the Age and Disability Team (www.bt.com/community).

AbilityNet

AbilityNet is a charitable organisation providing impartial, expert advice to disabled people on how to access mainstream computing technology. This exciting partnership between BT and AbilityNet demonstrates BT's commitment to ensuring that the right equipment reaches both our own people and other members of the community. For the last two years, it has also provided AbilityNet with a much needed resource centre in central London.

AccessAbility Roadshows

As part of BT's commitment to continuous improvement, we hold AccessAbility roadshows at regular intervals throughout the year to allow employees with disabilities and their managers to be updated on the latest initiatives. The roadshows also provide the opportunity to discuss wider issues of disability in the workplace with senior BT managers and to develop action plans to continuously improve the employment experience.

The events include input from a variety of speakers who represent support groups in the disability field and syndicate exercises where delegates can put their views to HR representatives from within BT. The roadshow provides an excellent opportunity to browse the exhibition stands and network with colleagues from across the company.

The BT Able2 Network

This employee network provides support and advice to anyone in BT who is interested in the issues surrounding disability. Able2 work closely with BT people with disabilities, line managers, line HR, the unions and the BT disability champion Ian Morfett.

Able2's achievements so far include:

Following the success of syndicate exercises at AccessAbility roadshows in highlighting live issues, they are introducing more local workshops where people can meet over lunch or after work, socialise and discuss the things that are of key interest to them.

Able2's plans for the future include a development programme for high-flying school pupils with disabilities. This programme will provide guidance and training to focus them on the skills they will need to succeed in higher education and in becoming the must have graduates of the future.