Aviation services group Air Partner has been awarded the disability confident employer level two accreditation in recognition of its work on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
The Disability Confident scheme, which was introduced by the UK government in 2013, aims to support employers to engage the talents of disabled people within the workforce, and create more opportunities for employment and more inclusive working environments. Its goal is also to encourage employers to think differently about disability and empower them to recruit, retain and develop the skills of disabled workers.
The scheme has three levels: disability confident committed employer level one, disability confident employer level two, and disability confident leader level three.
In July 2023, Air Partner attained level one accreditation due to its commitment to making improvements through curated hiring, training, and recruiting practices.
In order to achieve level two, it introduced mandatory disability awareness training for all staff including new starters, with regular refresher training scheduled, and broadened its approach to how it advertises vacancies and the qualifying criteria for accessing the interview process. It also changed its code of conduct for all suppliers and business partners to ensure fair treatment, equality of opportunity, and diversity in the workplace, which are the values that underpin its commitment to the scheme.
According to the organisation, achieving disability confident employer level two status demonstrates that its efforts have paid off and it has successfully evolved its approach to effectively deliver change within its sector.
Greg Charman, talent business partner and environmental, social, and governance manager at Air Partner, said: “As a business, we have a clear ambition to attract and develop the best people. Through the Disability Confident scheme, we are making a series of improvements in the way we work, to remove any barriers to encourage diversity and truly value the skills and attributes of any individual.”
