Foreword: Leading from the Front, Kate Nash OBE

FOREWORD

Leading from the front

The annual celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on 3rd December, started25 years ago by the United Nations General Assembly. The day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of disabled people. It also seeks to increase awareness of the benefits of the integration of disabled people in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

In 2017 the theme for IDPD is “transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all” and we are being encouraged to notice the central importance of resilience. Member States are encouraged to strengthen the role of disabled people as agents of change[1]

We live in times of great challenge, both economically and politically and what we mean by citizenship. It is sometimes hard to be constant in your belief that it is possible to reach a tipping point in the recognition of talents of disabled people. It takes great strength and courage to believe disabled people, whether they are in work, or not, can transcend protracted periods of welfare reform, economic austerity and political uncertainty.

But we can. And one of the ways we will do that is by learning directly from disabled people and celebrating and investing in our employer networks and resource groups, and building the community of disabled employees both in the UK and across the globe.

In July 2017 I sent out a personal tweet asking what network leaders thought about network leaders, champions and alliesleading from the front this year – and to encourage organisations to create a #purplelightup the week that follows IDPD. We could not have anticipated such a positive response – we have been inundated with requests to lead from the front, as this briefing will explain.

So, to mark IDPD 2017 PurpleSpace is calling on UK and global disabled employee networks & organisations, together with our many champions and allies, to create a #purplelightup to celebrate the economic and leadership contribution of disabled employees.

Just as the rainbow flag has created a new conversation as it rallies an increasingly vibrant LGBT movement – just as it symbolically unites people from every sector of society – just as it shows that prejudice can be positively challenged by building communities from a banner of colours that inspire hope – so purple is inspiring a new grass-routes movement into the reality of what it means to be human.

Disabled employees want to build on this unity through the purple symbolism. Employee networks & resource groups are already using the purple brand to createnew conversations, and together with our champions and allies, focus on the added value disabled people bring as consumers and employees.

I want disabled people to use the power of their networks & resource groups, with their champions & allies to help forge a global identity; one that puts the positive contribution of disabled people and their networks in spotlight.

PurpleSpace is leading the way and will mobilise its network of networks across the UK and globally to spotlight on the existing economic contribution of disabled employees – and inspire hope and affirmation to the millions who are looking for work.

PurpleSpace launched in 2015 because the world was clearly ready and waiting for a new energy that would challenge the archaic assumption that real disabled people were always on the outside, looking in. In actual fact millions of people with disabilities are adding value to the UK and global economies every day and we are talking to more and more of them in the employer networks & resource groups every week.

So, we want you to join us and join in the celebration of the economic contribution of disabled employees on 3rd December 2017 and throughout the week that follows. You can be part of that celebration: you can be part of creating history.

This briefing provides a range of “low-cost, high-impact” ideas which employers / organisations can ‘use to go purple’ to celebrate the benefits that flow from challenging dated assumptions and shifting to investment in human potential.

These “low-cost, high-impact” ideas are designed to promote creativity and stimulate new ways in which we can build on PurpleSpace’s pioneering work in creating a community of disabled people in work, be they today’s young intern or the global Board directors of the future.

We are certainly going purple during that week – watch and be amazed by the start of a new era of disabled employees celebrating their lives and giving hope to others.

Kate Nash OBE

Creator & CEO PurpleSpace

INTRODUCTION

Employee networks & resource groups – a coming of age

Over 20 years ago there were very few disabled employee networks around.Since then they have grown both in sheer numbers and scale.

Employers increasingly acknowledge them as one of the most logical and cost-effective vehicles to deliver cultural change and engage with their employees who have a disability.

The real beauty of networks is that they are led by employees with ‘real jobs’. They understand the opportunities and constraints to delivering change and have the passion required to keep going when there is seemingly no time left from the day job. But they somehow find that time - and it is clear that they, together with champions & allies, have a pivotal role to play as the ‘vehicles’ for driving interest in purple talent and cultural change.

The growth of employee networks is one of the most important indicators in how UK and global employers are investing in their talent. And we know only too well how hard it is to set them up, and keep them going – all of our organisations are at different stages.

But there is one thing that we know - as a direct result of disabled employees networking, we are seeing a significant impact in the number of people sharing their own stories and supporting their organisations to do better in making workplace adjustments. Put simply, building networks helps to create disability confidence from the inside out. The Purple Light Up will give you the opportunity to showcase the disabled talent in your organisation.

Our inspiration comes from the many disabled employees we work with, together with their champions and allies. So we call on all of you to think about what your organisation can do to make the Purple Light Up happen.

This briefing describes:

The facts about the economic contribution of disabled employees
Why we are seeing the colour purple symbolise disability
A selection of idea about what you can do to celebrate IDPD
What PurpleSpace will do to roll-call your contribution

Sarah Simcoe, Fujitsu / David Caldwell, Barclays / Andy Garrett, GSK

PurpleSpace Founding Ambassadors

The facts about economic contribution of disabled employees

Creating change often requires us to focus on the challenging and difficult facts and statistics about the lack of inclusion and engagement by disabled people. Highlighting inequalities is an important way of conveying the need for employers to think and act differently – it is a fundamental part of creating change – you need to highlight the bad news in order to notice the need to change systems and processes.

At the same time, PurpleSpace believes that delivering only bad news will only ever get us so far.

What we need to focus on is some of the positive indicators about the employment of disabled employees:

Over 3 million people who identify as being disabled are in work: they are today’s senior managers or the managers of the future[2]

Disabled employees contribute over £16.02 billion per annum in tax[3]

3.6% of businesses have one or more disabled owner, representing roughly 10,700 companies employing 78,000 people[4]

6.6 million people with disability or health impairment are in work[5] making a huge wealth of skilled and committed disabled people in the UK who make a vital contribution to the economy

A 5% point increase in the disability employment rate would lead to an increase in GDP of £23bn by 2030[6]

A Purple Identity

In 2013 the UK government launched its Disability Confident campaign[7], and created a broader ‘way in’ to developing conversations around disability.

Around that time we started to see hear about the “purple pound”; in a similar way to how we sometime talk about the “grey pound” to denote the spending power of older consumers or the term “pink pound” to denote the spending power of people from the LGBT+ community.

In 2014, Kate Nash’s research and book, Secrets & Big News[8] put the spotlight on the challenges people have in bringing their authentic selves to work. It set out to find out why it is difficult for people to share information about their disability at work. It opened up the question about how we all feel about the word ‘disability’. Disabled people were asked if they felt there was a case to use the symbolism of the colour purple to support the growth of a new, fresh exciting ‘movement’ of change agents in the employers’ community. They offered a simple reply. Yes.

So in September 2015 PurpleSpace[9] was created – a professional development hub for network leaders / resource groups with their champions & allies. We started to talk about purple talent rather than disabled employees. And guess what? Both employers and disabled employees like it – and many networks and their leaders are starting to use it. They are creating a new movement because it avoids the need to force people to associate with a word that we don’t always feel comfortable with – and it enables deeper, richer and more meaningful conversations between people who experience ill health or disability at work.

The use of the colour purple has begun to symbolise a new positive narrative about disabled people, disability networks and the wider contribution of disabled people in the economy. This your chance to use put a spotlight on your work, share stories and develop an understanding of the contribution of disabled people your organisation.

"It's about identity….and building a way in which people can express that economic power. Colour is a very important way of doing this."[10]

Philip Connolly, policy and communications manager at Disability Rights UK

“Purple is about creating value. Disabled people knowing the contribution they make and businesses seeing the purple pound as an opportunity. Purple builds a better and more resilient society for us all.”

Mike Adams, CEO of Purple

“I believe that this campaign will be prove to be an iconic moment. It’s our opportunity to engage around a positive identity for disabled people and specifically their contribution within employment, through such a simple medium as the colour purple. Delsion is proud to be championing this in Wales and of all the support we’ve received so far….Bring on the purple!””

Julian John, Founder & MD, Delsion

“We are building the largest super-network of disabled staff networks in the tertiary education sector. We want to connect and represent the purple talent and purple passion that literally light up our universities and colleges! The purple banner engages everyone in our disabled community, unlike the archaic and stereotypical wheelchair symbol.”

Hamied Haroon, National Association of Disabled Networks (Universities & Colleges)

“Police Forces and their Disability Support Networks across the UK are looking forward to shining a purple light on Disability 3rd December. A variety of awareness raising activities are planned with a focus on joining our private sector partners in celebrating the value of staff networks for disabled people.”

Rob Gurney, President, Disabled Police Association

“When we talk about Purple in this context, we talk about Purple talent, the value of the purple pound, we are talking positively and valuing the contribution of people with a disability or long term health condition. I am proud to identify with the color purple as someone with a disability and proud to be part of a movement that is seeking to change the conversation”

Mark Russell, KPMG

“We know how important it is for the NHS to demonstrate its commitment to a particular agenda – visually as well as verbally. Seeing women on Boards and on public platforms is important to aspiring female leaders. Seeing rainbow lanyards around the necks of NHS staff is an important signal to the LGBT community that the NHS is a place that welcomes diversity. In this respect, the use of the colour purple as a visual trigger to show our commitment to improving the employment opportunities and the patient experience for disabled people is a fantastic initiative. We will do all that we can to support this campaign as part of our commitment to making the NHS a truly accessible and inviting place for disabled people.”

Paul Deemer, NHS Employers

Purple ideas: what can you do to join the Purple Light Up?

At PurpleSpace we know all too well that time and resources are limited. Our conversations suggest organisations need time to build the case for substantial investment in a campaign to celebrate purple light up. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. And from small acorns, Oak trees grow.

So throughout July and August we have been speaking to many organisations that want to support the campaign. And listed below are their “low on resource – high on impact” ideas to get help celebrate the economic contribution of disabled employees in the weeks that precede or follow IDPD on 3rd December 2017.

Social Media – go external

Social Media is one of the fastest ways to increase engagement on a topic.Your organisation may already use it to build an online community, celebrate a company milestone, launch a new product. So, in the run up to 3rd December and beyond IDPD:

Re-fresh the way your network can build its social media presence – we have all the support you need – take a look at our toolkit #VirtuallyPurple[11]
Create your own predefined goals to help focus the campaign and drive content – use the #hashtags #purplelightup and #purpletalk and we will support your communications
Start the conversation with your marketing and communications team as early as possible; they may have existing campaigns that you can join and add to
Promote your campaign on your FB page or develop an Instagram purple stream
Use the stories of your own people via existing blogs and collateral – help your people to share their own story of disability by using our toolkit Purple Stories[12]
Update your companies external Diversity & Inclusion page – offer a statement why your company celebrates its own purple / disabled employees and the positive impact your network / resource group makes

Online & Media – stay internal

If your colleagues / company is constrained by what it can do externally, keep it internal, but don’t miss the opportunity!

Make use of the staff intranet and information screens
Update your own network page
Dress internal media in purple – take pictures of staff wearing purple
Identify existing internal campaigns and themes – compliment and enhance
Use visual information boards in receptions and communal areas. Focus on short key messages and contact information
Publicise social media campaigns including relevanttwitter handle.

Events

Consider complimenting online and social media campaigns with a small scale network event with purple theme – invite non-members to the event and where possible have a celebration theme
Offer purple lanyards to the guests – ensure you offer positive facts and figures
Invite your disability champion / executive sponsor / CEO to address the event – get him or her to add a little purple in their attire

Buildings

Dress building in purple – that might include flags, bunting and lighting. Naturally conversations to ‘dress’ a building need to start as early as possible with the estate and building management teams – get them to raid the light bulb budget
Consider dressing internal spaces with posters, exhibition pop-ups, banners and themed display stands. These could be placed in locations where large numbers of employees are likely to gather such as the reception, canteen, coffee breakout areas.

Wider employee engagement

Ideas to encourage wider buy, develop conversations, build an understanding purple and promote your network

Create lanyards for staff and visitors – branded with the network and twitter handle
Hold a purple /disability themed quiz at lunchtime (and throw in some questions to test knowledge on disability)
Hole a purple themed bake off – and tweet your pictures to @BritishBakeOff
Develop a support book – online and physical
Hold a ‘wear purple day’ during the week that follows 3/12
Get employees to use purple face paint to signify their support
Commission and handout pins (awards) and purple badges

Allies Programme

Consider launching a purple allies programme – use the Purple Light Up to reach out to other staff networks across the diversity strands. This might include: