Last Updated on December 18, 2025 by Laura Jensen

At EMD UK, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what becoming Disability Confident truly means for us: how it has shaped our hiring practices, supported our colleagues, and begun to transform our culture. 

In March 2025, EMD UK proudly took the step to become a recognised employer under the Disability Confident scheme, a commitment not just to comply, but to build a genuinely inclusive workplace. This commitment is set out in our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, in line with our obligations as the National Governing Body for Group Exercise and a Sport England system partner. 

Now, after nine months on this journey, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what becoming Disability Confident truly means for us: how it has shaped our hiring practices, supported our colleagues, and begun to transform our culture. 

What is the Disability Confident certificate?

The Disability Confident scheme is a UK government programme that supports and motivates employers to hire, support, and keep people with disabilities or long-term health conditions in work.  

Introduced in November 2016, the scheme aims to build employer confidence in inclusive recruitment, improve understanding of disability, encourage commitment to Disability Confident, and help reduce the disability employment gap. 

In order to become Disability Confident Committed, the first tier of the Disability Confident scheme, employers must agree to the Disability Confident commitments and identify at least one action that they’ll carry out to make a difference for disabled people. 

The commitments are: 

  • inclusive and accessible recruitment 
  • communicating vacancies 
  • offering an interview to disabled people 
  • providing reasonable adjustments 
  • supporting existing employees 

How has EMD UK met “Committed” requirements?

In order to comply with the “Committed” requirements, EMD UK has placed a greater emphasis on inclusive and accessible recruitment, with reasonable adjustments offered at all stages.  

We have removed all previous print-based and word-document applications, and transitioned to a fully online, mobile-responsible form with embedded adjustment options, ensuring candidates without desktop access are not disadvantaged. 

Positive action is used legitimately in advertising and where relevant to support workforce diversity. Additionally, within the application process, we’ve removed all characteristics from applications ahead of shortlisting to reduce bias. Standardised shortlisting and competency-based interviewing have also been implemented in the form of standardised scoring systems. 

Candidates who apply to work at EMD UK are offered support via direct email contact at all application stages and can submit video or audio files instead of traditional CVs or cover letters, and these formats are fully accepted into our talent pools. 

Finally, we have introduced further procedures and plans for supporting individuals with Access to Work. We provide paid employment opportunities with flexible working options for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, as well as being part of our wider support for all staff.   

Overall, the aim of these introductions has been to align us with the Level 1 Disability Confident Committed certificate and make sure EMD UK is a truly inclusive employer. 

What has been the impact of these inclusions?

Since introducing these inclusions, we have seen a rise in disabled candidates reaching interview, broadening our talent pool, and indicating that our adjustments to accessibility, multimedia options and more transparent processes are making an impact. 

Additionally, we have seen an increased openness from candidates in sharing their needs, both disability-related and beyond diagnoses.   

Beyond the recruitment process, we have also seen an increase in successful supported progression and implementation of Access to Work for neurodiverse staff members.  

All of this suggests that we have been successful in our aim to create a strengthened, barrier-free recruitment and staff experience that aligns with Disability Confident principles of inclusive and fair employment practices. 

What’s next for EMD UK? 

EMD UK remains committed to strengthening our approach as a Disability Confident employer.  

As we continue our progression toward higher Disability Confident levels, including our goal of achieving Level 2 certification, we will further strengthen and refine our internal processes to ensure our workplace is accessible and inclusive for both new and existing employees with disabilities. 

We will invest in advertising roles specifically to reach more disabled applicants and broaden our talent pool and we will explore apprenticeship pathways to support individuals in accessing meaningful employment and career development. 

Our ongoing commitment to the Disability Confident scheme 

As we look back on our first nine months as a Disability Confident employer, one thing is clear: this commitment is already shaping EMD UK for the better. 

As our People Manager, Sarah Partington says: 

“Taking the step to become a Disability Confident Committed employer has supported the review and improvements of our recruitment and selection at EMD UK.  

Where there was potential for unintentional barriers or bias, we have added processes to reduce them and provided a consistent opportunity for candidates to apply. We have gone beyond asking individuals to disclose needs and provided accessible options and approaches that are open to all, delivering a process that is inclusive by design and not as an afterthought.  

Over the past nine months, we’ve proved that inclusive recruitment isn’t about lowering expectations, but about giving more people a fair chance to show what they can do, as shown in the exceptional candidates who have interviewed with us. This journey is already having a positive impact on our culture, and we’re committed to listening, learning and continuing to improve as we move forward.” 

Sarah PartingtonPeople Manager, EMD UK

We’re proud to have made meaningful progress, learned a great deal, and built stronger foundations for a more inclusive future, but we also recognise that there is always more we can do.  

Becoming Disability Confident is not a badge or a tick box, it’s an ongoing responsibility to listen, adapt and improve. We’re excited for the next steps on this journey and remain dedicated to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported and able to thrive. 

 

References: 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/disability-confident-how-to-sign-up-to-the-employer-scheme