Whistl: aiming for an even more inclusive, supportive and diverse business
UK delivery management company Whistl, has become one of the latest signatories to The Valuable 500, the global movement putting disability on the business leadership agenda.
The Valuable 500 was launched at DAVOS in 2019 and seeks to tackle the trend for businesses to claim they are diverse but exclude disability from their definition of diversity.
The aim of the movement is to get 500 national and multinational, private sector corporations to be the tipping-point for change and to unlock the business, social and economic value of people living with disabilities across the world.
As part of its programme of activities Whistl has committed to:
- Ensuring both visible and invisible disability is on the agenda at board-level
- Developing its Diversity and Inclusion strategy and making D&I training mandatory for all people managers
- Reducing the stigma around discussing mental health, through various company initiatives focused on mental health awareness and support.
Nick Wells, CEO of Whistl, said: “Whistl has always been a company that is all about our people and our customers. By joining The Valuable 500, we aim to continue to build an even more inclusive, supportive and diverse business, where everyone feels supported and included. “Doing the right thing” is at the heart of our Whistl practices and we don’t want to leave anyone behind.”
Carline Casey, Founder of The Valuable 500 said: “It’s no longer good enough for companies to say ‘disability doesn’t fit with our brand’ or ‘it’s a good idea to explore next year’. Businesses cannot be truly inclusive if disability is continuingly ignored on leadership agendas.
“We also need brands that are already great examples of inclusive behaviour to show other businesses how it’s done, and help us end à la carte inclusion – because the potential of 1.3 billion should not be ignored.”
