Principal activities of the company

Managing Director

Company policy on disabled employees

About Business Consultancy Limited Disability, Inclusion and Reasonable Adjustments Policy Policy owner: Managing Director Organisation: About Business Consultancy Limited Effective date: January 1, 2025 Review date: December 31. 2026 Version: 1.0 1. Policy Statement About Business Consultancy Limited is committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and accessible working environment in which disabled people are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and are given an equal opportunity to contribute, develop and succeed. We recognise that disability can affect people in different ways and that some disabilities may not be immediately visible. We therefore seek to create an environment in which employees and prospective employees feel able to discuss their needs without fear of discrimination, disadvantage or stigma. About Business Consultancy Limited will not discriminate against an individual because of disability and will take reasonable and proportionate steps to remove or reduce barriers that may disadvantage disabled employees, workers and job applicants. This policy applies throughout the employment lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, working arrangements, training, career development, performance management, promotion, absence, disciplinary and grievance procedures, redundancy and leaving the organisation. 2. Legal Framework This policy is intended to support compliance with applicable UK equality and employment legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. Under the Equality Act 2010, disability is a protected characteristic. In general terms, a person is disabled where they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The law also places a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would otherwise experience a substantial disadvantage compared with non-disabled people. This policy does not replace the law. Where legislation provides greater protection than this policy, the legal requirement will take precedence. 3. Our Commitment About Business Consultancy Limited is committed to: preventing disability discrimination; providing equality of opportunity; treating disabled people with dignity, respect and fairness; removing unnecessary barriers to recruitment and employment; making reasonable adjustments where required; providing an accessible recruitment process; supporting employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition during employment; supporting employees with visible and non-visible disabilities; recognising neurodiversity and mental health conditions where they fall within the protections of the Equality Act 2010; maintaining confidentiality around disability and health-related information; ensuring disability is not used as a reason for unfair treatment, harassment or exclusion; reviewing workplace practices to identify potential barriers to disabled people. We recognise that equality does not necessarily mean treating everyone identically. Sometimes achieving a genuinely equitable outcome requires different or additional support. 4. Recruitment and Selection About Business Consultancy Limited welcomes applications from disabled candidates. Our recruitment and selection processes will seek to assess candidates against the skills, knowledge, experience and competencies genuinely required for the role. Where appropriate, job advertisements will make clear that candidates can request reasonable adjustments during recruitment. Examples may include: Providing information in an alternative accessible format; allowing additional time for assessments; providing accessible interview facilities; changing the interview format; allowing the use of assistive technology; arranging communication support; allowing additional breaks; conducting an interview remotely where appropriate. Candidates will not be disadvantaged because they require a reasonable adjustment. Employers may ask about disability or health during recruitment only in circumstances permitted by law, including where information is required to make reasonable adjustments or to establish whether an individual can undertake an essential function of the role. 5. Reasonable Adjustments About Business Consultancy Limited recognises its legal responsibility to consider and, where reasonable, implement adjustments for disabled employees, workers and job applicants. Reasonable adjustments are changes that remove or reduce a disadvantage experienced by a disabled person. Depending on the circumstances, adjustments may include: Working arrangements flexible working hours; altered start or finish times; part-time working; hybrid or remote working; additional or more frequent breaks; phased return to work; adjustments to work patterns. Workplace and equipment specialist equipment; ergonomic equipment; assistive technology; changes to workstation arrangements; physical adaptations to the workplace; accessible meeting arrangements. Communication and information providing documents in accessible formats; allowing additional time to process information; providing written rather than solely verbal instructions; providing captions or transcripts; adapting communication methods. Meetings and working practices allowing additional preparation time; providing agendas and materials in advance; allowing breaks during longer meetings; changing meeting formats; reducing unnecessary sensory or environmental barriers. Recruitment and assessment additional time for assessments; alternative assessment methods; accessible interview locations; remote interviews where appropriate; communication support. These examples are not exhaustive. Adjustments will be considered on an individual basis. Government guidance confirms that reasonable adjustments can include changes to working arrangements, equipment, workplace facilities and recruitment processes. 6. Requesting a Reasonable Adjustment An employee does not need to use a particular form or terminology to request an adjustment. A request can be made verbally or in writing to: Managing Director / Line Manager About Business Consultancy Limited Employees are encouraged to explain: the difficulty or barrier they are experiencing; how it affects their work; what adjustment they believe may help. However, employees are not expected to identify the perfect solution themselves. About Business Consultancy Limited will discuss the situation with the employee and work collaboratively to identify appropriate adjustments. ACAS recommends that employers work with disabled employees to identify adjustments and confirm agreed adjustments in writing. 7. Confidentiality and Personal Information Information relating to an employee's disability, health condition or reasonable adjustments will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Information will only be shared with people who need it for legitimate employment, health and safety or operational reasons, and wherever possible with the employee's knowledge. Managers should avoid making assumptions about an individual's capabilities based on a disability or health condition. An employee should not be required to disclose personal medical information to colleagues in order to receive reasonable adjustments. 8. Acquiring a Disability During Employment An employee who becomes disabled, develops a long-term health condition or experiences a change in an existing condition will be supported wherever reasonably possible. The company will consider whether changes are required to: The employee's working environment; working hours; duties or responsibilities; equipment; communication arrangements; absence management; return-to-work arrangements; performance expectations or processes. Becoming disabled will not, in itself, be regarded as a failure by the employee. Where appropriate, the company may consider occupational health or other professional advice, with appropriate consent. An employer cannot lawfully dismiss an employee simply because they have become disabled. Reasonable adjustments must be considered where applicable. 9. Disability-Related Absence About Business Consultancy Limited recognises that disabled employees may occasionally require time away from work because of their disability. This may include: medical appointments; treatment; therapy; rehabilitation; periods of disability-related illness; recovery from treatment or procedures. Disability-related absence will be considered sensitively and on an individual basis. Where an employee has recurring disability-related absence, the company will consider whether reasonable adjustments to absence-management arrangements may be appropriate. ACAS recommends that employers consider reasonable adjustments where sickness or absence is linked to disability. 10. Performance Management Disability will not be used as a justification for unfairly judging an employee's performance. Where an employee is experiencing performance difficulties that may be connected to a disability, the company will consider whether reasonable adjustments or additional support may help remove the disadvantage. Performance expectations will continue to apply, but the company will seek to ensure that disabled employees are not unfairly disadvantaged by the way performance is assessed. 11. Training and Career Development Disabled employees should have equal access to: training; professional development; mentoring; promotion opportunities; career development; internal projects and assignments. Where appropriate, reasonable adjustments will be made to enable participation. 12. Workplace Accessibility About Business Consultancy Limited will seek to identify and remove unnecessary physical, technological, communication and organisational barriers. Accessibility will be considered when introducing: new technology; software; websites; digital services; office arrangements; communications; training; meetings and events. As a consultancy specialising in User Experience (UX) and Customer Experience (CX) research, About Business Consultancy Limited recognises that accessibility is not simply a compliance issue but an important part of designing inclusive experiences. 13. Disability, Neurodiversity and Non-Visible Conditions The company recognises that disability is not always visible. Examples may include, depending on the individual circumstances and legal definition of disability: mental health conditions; autism; ADHD; dyslexia; dyspraxia; chronic health conditions; sensory impairments; neurological conditions. Some neurodivergent people may not consider themselves disabled, and a formal diagnosis is not necessarily required for an individual to have legal protection under the Equality Act. Each situation should be considered individually. Employees are encouraged to discuss barriers they experience rather than feeling that they must first identify or prove a particular label. 14. Accessibility of Company Communications About Business Consultancy Limited will seek to make internal communications accessible. Where reasonably practicable, this may include: clear and plain language; accessible electronic documents; appropriate document structure and headings; readable fonts; adequate contrast; captions or transcripts where appropriate; alternative formats; accessible digital meeting arrangements. Employees should be able to request information in an alternative format where their disability creates a barrier. 15. Training and Awareness The company will seek to ensure that managers and individuals responsible for recruitment or people management understand: disability discrimination; reasonable adjustments; confidentiality; inclusive recruitment; non-visible disabilities; neurodiversity; appropriate communication. Managers should not make assumptions about what an employee can or cannot do because of their disability. 16. Harassment and Victimisation About Business Consultancy Limited has zero tolerance for disability-related: bullying; harassment; intimidation; unwanted comments; exclusion; jokes or derogatory language; victimisation. An employee who raises a concern about disability discrimination or requests a reasonable adjustment must not be treated negatively as a result. Concerns may be raised through the company's grievance procedure. 17. When an Adjustment Cannot Be Made The company recognises that not every requested adjustment will necessarily be reasonable or practicable. If a requested adjustment cannot be implemented, About Business Consultancy Limited will: discuss the request with the employee; explain the reasons why the proposed adjustment cannot reasonably be made; consider whether an alternative adjustment could address the disadvantage; consider professional advice where appropriate; document the outcome. The company will not simply reject an adjustment request without proper consideration. ACAS advises employers to discuss the issue with the disabled person and consider alternative ways of providing support where a proposed adjustment is not reasonable. 18. External Support Where appropriate, About Business Consultancy Limited may signpost employees to external sources of support. This may include: occupational health; Access to Work; NHS or other healthcare services; specialist disability organisations; professional or employee support services. Access to Work may provide practical support beyond the reasonable adjustments that an employer is legally required to provide. 19. Responsibilities Managing Director The Managing Director is responsible for: ensuring this policy is implemented; ensuring disability-related concerns are taken seriously; considering reasonable adjustment requests; maintaining appropriate confidentiality; ensuring employment decisions are fair and non-discriminatory. Managers Managers are responsible for: creating an inclusive working environment; listening to employees; identifying potential barriers; responding promptly to adjustment requests; implementing agreed adjustments; reviewing whether adjustments remain effective; maintaining confidentiality. Employees Employees are encouraged to: communicate any barriers affecting their ability to work; discuss reasonable adjustment requirements; participate in discussions about appropriate solutions; inform the company if an agreed adjustment is no longer effective. Employees are not required to disclose a disability simply because they have one. However, disclosure may enable the company to provide appropriate support and adjustments. 20. Monitoring and Review About Business Consultancy Limited will periodically review this policy to ensure that it remains: legally compliant; accessible; effective; proportionate to the size and nature of the organisation; consistent with other company policies. Employees will be encouraged to provide feedback about the accessibility and effectiveness of this policy. 21. Policy Approval Approved by: Andrew Wiggan Position: Managing Director Date: January 1, 2025 Next review date: December 31, 2026

This report was approved by the board of directors on 31 January 2026
and signed on behalf of the board by:

Name: Andrew Wiggan
Status: Director