AbilityNet shares its Disability Confident Leader expertise
Annie Mannion | 07 May 2025
AbilityNet is proud to be in the top tier of the Disability Confident government lead scheme, amongst organisations such as Barclays, BT, the Cabinet Office, Fujitsu, Heathrow, John Lewis Partnership, Lloyds Banking Group and many other household names.
In this new captioned audio video produced by the Disability Confident team, AbilityNet's HR Director, Mairead Comerford, highlights some of AbilityNet's best practices in workplace disability inclusion, and describes the benefits that being a Disability Confident Leader has brought to the charity.
Learn about the disability inclusion experiences of three AbilityNet employees, covering topics including autism awareness, Rheumatoid Arthritis and inclusive recruitment:
Mencap and the Disability Confident scheme
The Disability Confident scheme aims to help employers make the most of the opportunities provided by employing disabled people. It is voluntary and has been developed by employers and disabled people's representatives.
As experts in disability and technology AbilityNet achieved the accolade of a Disability Confident Leader back in 2020 and continues to uphold the title.
As part of AbilityNet's role as a Disability Confident Leader, we support and validate other organisations to achieve and maintain their Leader statuses.
We are thrilled to announce the completion of Mencap's validation process for the renewal of its Disability Confident Leader status.
"This achievement is a testament to the charity's exceptional dedication and hard work," says AbilityNet's Mairead Comerford, who was involved with the validation process. "Mencap continues to set a remarkable example in fostering an inclusive workplace and supporting disabled employees," she continues.
The Disability Confident Leader validator serves as an independent entity - either an organisation or individual - that evaluates an employer's self-assessment for the Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) status. This validation process ensures that the employer meets the scheme's criteria and upholds its reputation as a leader in disability inclusion.
How AbilityNet provides validation
The validator (in this case, AbilityNet) plays a crucial role by:
- Reviewing and Challenging: Thoroughly examining the employer's self-assessment and supporting evidence to verify alignment with Disability Confident Leader criteria.
- Providing an External Perspective: Offering independent insights, as they are not employees of the organisation being assessed.
- Confirming Commitment: Ensuring the employer is not simply making statements but actively implementing the required actions and practices for Leader-level recognition.
- Highlighting Areas for Improvement: Identifying opportunities for the employer to further enhance their approach to disability inclusion.
How your organisation can become Disability Confident
Disability Confident is creating a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
Being Disability Confident is a unique opportunity to lead the way in your community, and you might just discover someone your business cannot do without.
If you’re seeking a validator to achieve Disability Confident Leader status or need guidance on how to progress on your journey, feel free to email Mairead Comerford at AbilityNet.
AbilityNet is featured in the May/June 2025 issue of Able Magazine, discussing the Disability Confident scheme (pages 58-59).AbilityNet is hiring!
Further reading
Factsheet: Disability and Employment
Download AbilityNet's Disability Confident Voluntary Reporting Framework - issued 2025
