Whistl joins global movement to put disability on business agenda

Whistl has become one of the latest signatories to The Valuable 500, a global movement putting disability on the business leadership agenda.

The Valuable 500 was launched at the Davos Conference in 2019 and seeks to "tackle the trend for businesses to claim they are diverse but exclude disability from their definition of diversity".

The aim of the movement is to get 500 national and multinational, private sector corporations to be the tipping-point for change and to unlock the business, social and economic value of people living with disabilities across the world.

As part of its programme of activities Whistl has committed to ensuring disability is on the agenda at board level, developed a diversity and inclusion strategy and made training mandatory for all people managers.

It also aims to reduce the stigma around discussing mental health, through various company initiatives focused on awareness and support.

Nick Wells, chief executive of Whistl, said: “Whistl has always been a company that is all about our people and our customers. By joining The Valuable 500, we aim to continue to build an even more inclusive, supportive and diverse business, where everyone feels supported and included."

Added Carline Casey, founder of The Valuable 500: “Doing the right thing is at the heart of our Whistl practices and we don’t want to leave anyone behind.

“It’s no longer good enough for companies to say ‘disability doesn’t fit with our brand’ or ‘it’s a good idea to explore next year’. Businesses cannot be truly inclusive if disability is continuingly ignored on leadership agendas.

“We also need brands that are already great examples of inclusive behaviour to show other businesses how it’s done, and help us end à la carte inclusion.”