The UK Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Chloe Smith, announced the appointment of new Disability and Access Ambassadors including Kate Headley, the Co-Founder and Director of The Clear Company.
The UK Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Chloe Smith, announced the appointment of new Disability and Access Ambassadors including Kate Headley, the Co-Founder and Director of The Clear Company.
Headley has been leading a proactive, practical approach to disability inclusion throughout her career and especially since The Clear Company’s launch in 2003. She is known for her passion and expertise in the development of inclusive recruitment best practice; and her ability to reach and influence senior decision makers and stakeholders across government and business.
Having experienced significant sight loss during the last five years, she has effectively demonstrated the positive impact of adjustments in enabling her to maintain her level of professional influence.
The government have sought her influence because her clients include organisations who are leaders in their sectors in inclusive hiring and talent management. A fully qualified HR professional, Headley has spent over 20 years specialising in recruitment and diversity. She is a sought-after speaker and advisor.
Headley also founded, and continues to Chair, the UK’s Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) - purpose lead organisation that seeks to break down the barriers faced by the millions of disabled people who are entering or progressing through the job market. RIDI has changed the lives of more than 500,000 disabled people since 2011. At their 2021 awards ceremony, they awarded Includability Committed Employer, ViacomCBS, with their Best Inclusive Campaign award.
Headley commented on her new role,
“We have an unparalleled opportunity to deliver authentic disability inclusion and equity. Flexible and remote working is increasingly the norm and ensuring that employers can attract and empower the wealth of disabled talent the UK has to offer is pivotal to economic growth and success. A recruitment community, confident and capable in attracting disabled talent is essential.”
The Disability and Access Ambassador posts will represent the following sectors: advertising (brand and design), airports, arts and culture, banking, built environment (products and services), buses, countryside and heritage, creative Industries, energy, hospitality (pubs and restaurants), housing (private), insurance, rail travel, retail, technology, universities and web accessibility.
The current Ambassadors have been helping industry and the Government in their response to the COVID-19 crisis and supporting work to develop the National Disability Strategy to build a more inclusive framework for those with disabilities.
Headley has worked with the government before as she was a founding member of the Department of Work and Pensions’ disability employer engagement steering group, which was created to develop a platform for individual MPs to activate and support disability best practice in their constituencies. She also advises the government on disability and diversity and serves on the external panel of experts to the Cabinet Office. She is a founder partner of the government’s Disability Confident Campaign.
Includability Official Partner, Recite Me have worked closely with her in her role with RIDI and offered their support on social media, they posted, “Congratulations Kate Headley on your appointment as Disability and Access Ambassador for the Recruitment sector.
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