Business Disability Forum (BDF) is hosting its annual conference online on June 30th and will discuss the impact the last year has had on the disabled community.

Business Disability Forum’s conference – why you should attend

Entitled ‘Disability: What’s New, What’s Next’, the upcoming conference is sponsored by HSBC will “consider how the ‘newest normal’ will work for disabled people and what this means for the disability inclusion agenda.”

Topics to be discussed include disability and intersectionality, perceptions of disability versus reality, and the future of disability and diversity.

The one-day event will begin with BDF’s CEO, Diane Lightfoot, in conversation with Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK, on why HSBC is sponsoring the event. This will be followed by a panel discussion entitled ‘Everything you always wanted to know about disability inclusion but were afraid to ask’. In addition, a team of BDF experts will be on hand to answer questions and offer practical advice to organisations new to the area of disability inclusion.

Actress, presenter, and disability activist, Samantha Renke, will discuss changing perceptions about disability by sharing her experiences and views. There will also be contributions from Laurie Henneborn and Dominic King about Accenture’s recent ‘Enabling Change’ study, which highlights a disconnect between the perception of leaders and the reality for disabled employees, which can result in a failure to thrive.

Following this, Kath Swallow will be talking to BDF’s CEO about Unilever’s work to design and create a new accessible deodorant. Disability consultant Simon Minty and Samantha Renke will join the discussion.

Looking at what’s new in diversity and inclusion, Sandra Kerr will be sharing BITC’s latest findings and their new guidance on race and mental health.

Looking ahead, Tolu Oke from Amazon will be joining Dennis Howard from Coutts, LaMondre Pough, CEO of Billion Strong, and colleagues from Burberry and HSBC to discuss whether the 2020s is the decade of disability and diversity.

Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, said: “We are living through a time of great change. This has had and will continue to have a huge impact on the lives of disabled people and the way that society perceives and responds to disability. Our annual conference is an opportunity for businesses and employers to share experiences and learnings, to take stock, and to plan for a more inclusive future.”

To find out more about the conference and to register your place, please click here.