Accenture has been named as this year’s sponsor of the Disability Standard.

As a long-standing Partner of Business Disability Forum, this sponsorship is further testament to Accenture’s commitment to best practice in supporting disabled people in the workplace.

The Disability Standard is the only business-led measurement tool used to assess a company’s whole organisational approach to disability and inclusion. Analysing 10 essential criteria, including physical accessibility, workplace adjustments and products and services, the Disability Standard allows businesses to measure their entire performance on disability and identify ways to improve their strategy for disabled customers, clients, service users, employees and stakeholders.

Accenture serves clients in over 120 countries worldwide, and inclusion and diversity are fundamental to its culture and by improving its disability strategy and creating a fully inclusive work environment is setting an industry standard. Alongside its Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Employee Resource Group, Accenture’s 2015 Mental Health Allies programme is a recent example of thinking outside the box when it comes to disability. Acting as ‘go to’ colleagues for people seeking support or information for someone else on mental health, the Mental Health Allies initiative is helping to end society’s negative stigma around mental illness and promote understanding both in and outside of the workplace.

David Goodchild, Director of Membership and Business Development at BDF, said: “Business Disability Forum has worked closely with Accenture for over 12 years and is extremely pleased that the organisation will be sponsoring the Disability Standard. Accenture fully understands the importance of getting disability right, and knows that the only way to be the best is to include the best. We look forward to continuing our successful relationship with Accenture and to launching the new and improved version of the Disability Standard in November 2015.”

Zahra Bahrololoumi, Head of Human Capital and Diversity at Accenture in the UK and Ireland, added: “Accenture is committed to diversity in the workplace and is continually looking for ways to better support its employees with visible and non-visible disabilities. Our sponsorship of Business Disability Forum’s Disability Standard demonstrates the drive the company has towards creating an inclusive environment for all.”