HM Revenue & Customs is awarded for leading best practice on ICT accessibility
London, UK – HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was recently awarded a Disability-smart Award for leading best practice on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility across the public sector and beyond. Organised by Business Disability Forum (BDF), the Disability-smart Awards are given to companies that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to employing, working with and doing business with disabled people.
HMRC won the category of ICT, with Sean Smith OBE winning the separate category of Disability Champion.
The ICT award is given to companies that ensure their ICT is accessible to disabled people and has good usability. The Accessibility Team at HMRC were commended by the judging panel for having readily available guidance and support for staff around ICT-related adjustments and centralised, efficient procedures for putting these adjustments in place.
Sean Smith is HMRC's lead on all aspects of ICT Accessibility, and works closely with individual members of staff with complex needs to improve the way the organisation supports disabled staff and customers. Sean was heavily involved in the formation of an IT Accessibility committee and a Visually Impaired User Group. The impact of his work secured him the award for Disability Champion.
Paul Day, Chief of Staff at Business Disability Forum, said:
"HM Revenue and Customs has considered the accessibility needs of disabled people in all aspects of ICT, from procurement of products, services and suppliers through to making reasonable adjustments. Organisations in both the private and public sectors could learn a lot from HMRC's successful integration of accessibility considerations into standardised processes."
Mark Dearnley, Chief Digital and Information Officer at HM Revenue & Customs said:
"HMRC has done a huge amount to identify the main issues facing disabled colleagues in HMRC and we’ve made some significant improvements, particularly in the area of assistive technology. But we’re still on a journey and there’s much more we still need to be doing to improve things. I’m looking forward to addressing these challenges in 2015, so we can continue working towards a more inclusive and accessible workplace."
The 2015 awards scheme is now open for entries. For more information or to enter, visit www.disabilitystandard.com.
ENDS
- Business Disability Forum is a not-for-profit business consortium that represents some 300 organisations that employ 20% of the UK workforce. Formerly called the Employers’ Forum on Disability, the company has more than twenty years’ experience of working with public and private sector employers and service providers. For more information about the Forum please visit: http://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/about-us
- For further information on the Disability Standard and details of the other award categories and their winners please visit www.disabilitystandard.com
- For more information on HM Revenue & Customs' equality and diversity strategy, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/about/equality-and-diversity
- For media enquiries please contact Ashley Teaupa, Interim Communications and Marketing Manager on 020-7089-2463 or email ashleyt@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk
Ashley Teaupa - Interim Communications and Marketing Manager
Email: ashleyt@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk | Phone: 020 7089 2463
Tags:
