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Section 3 Our progress on implementing disability equality

We are committed to diversity and the benefits it can bring to our organisation. We want to be an organisation where all individuals are valued and our organisational culture fosters inclusiveness.

Actions we have taken

We have taken significant steps to mainstream diversity and equality in the NAO:  

• Our senior management board regularly discuss diversity issues and our diversity champion sits on the management board. We have a diversity steering group with representatives from each equality strand, who act in an advisory capacity to the diversity champion. We are active members of the Employer’s Forum on Disability.
   
• Since launching our Diversity Strategy in 2005 we have made progress in taking forward the disability equality agenda.  In July 2006, we surveyed all employees in the Office to secure more accurate data on the number of disabled employees in the organisation and the nature of their disabilities. The survey found that around 6 per cent of all our employees have a disability and demonstrated the need for the Office to take further action to improve the working environment for disabled employees.  As part of our action plan we intend to set targets for the recruitment, representation and promotion of disabled people at each level within the Office.
   
• We want to recruit more disabled people onto our graduate trainee scheme and elsewhere in the Office. As part of our overall aim to promote the NAO as an inclusive organisation and help us attract eligible disabled undergraduates we organised a summer internship programme for two disabled undergraduates in July 2006 for eight weeks. The programme had two aims, firstly to provide valuable work experience to disabled undergraduates and secondly, to promote the work of the NAO and opportunities available on our graduate scheme. One of the interns subsequently applied for and has been recruited on to the graduate scheme. We intend to continue the programme for next year and beyond. We have also established links with disability organisations such as Employment Opportunities and Prospects to gain access to the disabled undergraduates and to raise our profile amongst disabled people interested in working for the NAO.  
   
• The Human Resources and Facilities teams have involved the Disability Support Network in the development of office-wide polices and practices, for example, the home-working policy, the remote working procedure for disabled people and the  health and safety personal evacuation plan. The teams have also put into effect workplace adjustments required for employees or applicants as part of our requirements as a public sector employer. Our occupational health service also provides advice and guidance to Human Resources and to disabled employees on workplace adjustments.
   
• We have recognised that many of our employees spend a significant proportion of their working time within client departments, who themselves have responsibility for publishing their own Disability Equality Schemes and, therefore, actively consider the requirements of disabled people accessing their premises. We have also ensured that where an NAO member of staff has a disability which may require some form of reasonable adjustment at a client their line manager, and the client, are fully briefed so that suitable provision can be made available.
   
• As part of our duties under Health & Safety we aim to carry out display screen assessments each time an employee moves offices, ensuring any workplace adjustments or health and safety considerations are implemented.
   
• We have renovated our office entrance and reception area to make it more accessible for disabled people e.g. mobility impaired people using a wheelchair. We have also trained our reception staff on disability equality. A major building project will commence in January 2008 for our London headquarters and we will be including in disability equality considerations at the design stage of the project.
   
• We have held disability equality workshops and have targeted employees with line-management responsibility. We have produced an on-line disability equality booklet for managers and individuals in consultation with the Disability Support Network.
   
• We have an equality and diversity policy which outlines our responsibility as an employer that values a diverse workforce and the benefits it can bring. The policy incorporates our obligation to foster an environment free from harassment and bullying.   Our Diversity Manager is the central HR contact for disabled staff and provides advice on all diversity issues.
   
• Our external website complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines priority A (WCAG 1). Our internal intranet has been redesigned to give disabled employees the option to choose their accessibility options and our procurement process requires organisations wishing to tender for contracts to have in place an equal opportunity policy and a commitment to equality.    

Work to be done in the future

Although, we have made progress on disability equality we realise there is still more work to be done.

Our scheme’s action plan outlines our key areas for improvement to ensure we meet the general duty.

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