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2 November
Public sector outperforming private in disability equality – report
The public sector is outperforming the private sector in disability equality, according to a report published today by Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD).
The results of the Disability Standard 2007 show that on average 56% of public sector organisations have board level responsibility for disability, compared to an average of 43% of private sector respondents.
Results also show that, on average, 60% of public sector organisations who took part in the Disability Standard have a clear and public commitment to achieving disability equality by senior managers – compared to 43% of private sector respondents.
Despite these results, the private sector is better at training and promoting disabled employees.
An average of 50% of private sector respondents have effective measures in place to ensure that training and development is accessible to disabled employees – on average 36% of public sector organisations have achieved this.
Rick Williams, EFD associate and director of Freeney Williams Limited, one of Europe's leading disability and diversity consultancies says: “These results are good news for the public sector, but may be driven by the new Disability Equality Schemes which came into effect last year.
“These organisations need to lead the private sector by example, however, and it is good news for disabled people if they are doing so.”
Susan Scott-Parker, chief executive of EFD says: “Increasingly, public sector employers are compared to the private sector in terms of their performance measures.
“It is good to see the public sector leading the way in many areas of disability equality.”
The Employers' Forum on Disability Standard is the only business-led benchmark that measures an organisation's performance on every aspect of disability as it affects a business.
In total 116 organisations, between them employing around two million people in the UK, completed the Employers' Forum Disability Standard 2007 Benchmark Survey.
Seventy public sector and 46 private sector organisations took part.
The Benchmark Survey is sponsored by Motability Operations.
Ends
The results of the Employers' Forum Disability Standard 2007 will be released in full at the 'Benchmark for action' conference and reception, hosted by HM Treasury, London, on 2 November.
For interviews, case studies or a copy of the full Employers' Forum Disability Standard report please contact:
Issy RulePR & Communications Coordinator
Employers' Forum on Disability press office
Email: issy.rule@employers-forum.co.uk
Telephone: 020 7403 3020
About Employers' Forum on Disability
Employers' Forum on Disability is the employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects employers and service providers.
With over 400 members, EFD represents organisations that employ around 25 per cent of the UK workforce.
Since its establishment in 1991, EFD has worked closely with government and other stakeholders, sharing best practice to make it easier to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers.
About the Disability Standard
The Disability Standard is the only management tool that enables organisations to accurately measure their performance on disability, in every way it affects the business, and to put in place action plans that deliver real business improvement.
116 organisations took part in the Disability Standard 2007, between them employing around two million people in the UK.