The University achieves Disability Confident Leader accreditation

The University of Huddersfield has achieved Disability Confident Leader accreditation, demonstrating inclusive practice across the institution.

The government scheme has three levels of commitment, each requiring additional evidence of continual action planning, with Disability Confident Leader being the highest.

The accreditation is for a three-year period until 2028 and builds on the University’s previous accreditation as a Disability Confident Employer at Level 2.

This achievement reflects the collaborative efforts of staff across the University and its ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive, accessible environment, continually developing and refining its facilities, services and practices.

Disability Confident is a government initiative which aims to enable employers to engage proactively with their disability inclusion strategy to improve the recruitment and retention of colleagues with disabilities, long-term health/mental health conditions and neurodivergent conditions.

Earlier this month a DCL External Verifier scrutinised the University’s Disability Confident Action Plan and met with panel members representing schools and services across the organisation.

The outcome confirmed that the University is delivering against all of the core actions as a Disability Confident Employer: providing an inclusive recruitment process; supporting disabled colleagues in the workplace (including those with long-term health conditions); and taking action to record and report on disability, mental health, and wellbeing in the workplace.

In becoming a Disability Confident Leader, the University is committing to evolving and sharing best practices and promoting the scheme to encourage other organisations in our networks and supply chain to become Disability Confident.

The external verifier commented: “I am really impressed with the way that disability inclusion is embedded across the various business areas, and to hear first-hand the positive effect that this has on people within your organisation.”

The validation process also identified a number of areas of exemplary best practice:

• “A great deal of consideration has gone into accessibility and inclusivity across the whole recruitment lifecycle. Step-by-step guidance for colleagues is available online, and digital accessibility has been incorporated into online resources.”
• “The University of Huddersfield has actively engaged with organisations in their supply chain. Through training sessions and supporting information, they have encouraged suppliers to grow their knowledge of the Disability Confident scheme and consider participation.”
• “There is clear evidence of support, guidance and policies in place which provide consistent support for colleagues managing health conditions and wellbeing issues, and for managers who are supporting colleagues too. The University’s disability inclusion culture is presented as supportive and proactive.”

Looking ahead, as a Disability Confident Leader, the University pledges to regularly review and update its DCL Action Plan with key stakeholders across the organisation during the reporting period 2025 to 2028. It will also publish an annual report detailing its Voluntary Reporting on Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The University’s first action as a Disability Confident Leader will be to roll out a Health Adjustments Passport, which has been in development with a pilot project having already taken place in 2024, in partnership with members of the Staff Disability Network and Neurodiversity Staff Group.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Bob Cryan, commented: “Achieving Disability Confident Leader status is a fantastic recognition of the University’s inclusive culture and the outstanding work of colleagues across our community. This accreditation highlights our commitment to evaluating and evolving our practice to ensure we remove as many barriers as possible for disabled colleagues who choose to bring their skills and knowledge to our organisation.”

The University of Huddersfield is also proud to hold a number of other national inclusion accreditations, guiding the organisation to strive towards exemplary practice.  In achieving Disability Confident Leader accreditation (Level 3), the University adds to its current Advance HE Athena Swan Institutional Bronze Award, Race Equality Charter Institutional Bronze Award, and Stonewall Workplace Equality Index Gold Award.