Inclusion without exception
We’ve worked hard to put inclusion at the heart of everything we do, so that each of you is welcomed and accepted exactly as you are. In a post-covid world, we’ll continue to ensure individual needs are as supported as they can be at any stage in your life and career.
More than 1 million people living with a disability in the UK are able and willing to work but unable to find employment*. As at 30 September 2021 our data tells us that 2.49% of our colleagues have shared that they have a disability or long-term health condition, which is significantly lower than the national statistics indicating that 19% of working age adults are disabled**. We’re committed to increase this representation across the bank in the medium and long-term to 8% representation by 2025 and 10% by 2030.
*YouGov poll 2019
** Family Resource Survey 2019-20
"Our Purpose requires us to be bold and take action, so I’m delighted that after lots of hard work over the past few years we’ve been awarded Disability Confident Leader status across our organisation. It demonstrates our commitment to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, including colleagues with disabilities and long-term health conditions"
James Peirson, General Counsel & Purpose Officer
Our action plan
To help us achieve our commitments and create a bank that is more representative of the communities in which we live and work, we have taken the following action;
We promise to guarantee all applicants, who share they have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for a role, a first stage interview.
We know an online interview isn’t always the best way to highlight individual strengths. Instead, we’ll do whatever works best for the individual and offer an alternative approach for candidates to apply in a way that suits them, including video and telephone calls.
We have worked with the National Autistic Society to review our interview questions and job adverts to ensure they are suitable for neurodiverse candidates. We also include a diversity questionnaire to help us understand who is applying for roles and who isn't, taking action where we fall short.
We’ll develop unique programmes to support the career development of our colleagues who live with disability. This includes a People Leader guide to help support conversations and monthly 'welcome back' workshops to support colleagues returning to the workplace after a period away.
A Life More Virgin
While we’re delighted to have been recognised as Leaders in the Disability Confident programme – a visible commitment from us, not just about making pledges but taking action to be the best we can be – there is more we can do and we are committed to keep making progress in this space.
A Life More Virgin is our new approach to work that provides colleagues with the flexibility and digital capability to work in a way that enables them to be at their best, taking into account their stage of lives and career, and allowing them to adjust their working approaches around what’s important to them.