Travis Perkins has announced that the company has joined The Valuable 500 business initiative to accelerate its approach to diversity and inclusion by putting disability inclusion on the board agenda.
The Valuable 500 is a disability inclusion movement which is calling on the world’s largest businesses to ensure the disability-inclusive United Nation (UN) Sustainable Development Goals are at the heart of a post-Covid recovery.
According to CEO of Travis Perkins, Nick Roberts, the company decided to sign up to the initiative to work on changing mindsets and improving disability confidence: “In an industry that typically lacks diversity the future success of the Travis Perkins Group will be dependent on creating a more inclusive environment which naturally fosters and celebrates diversity in all its forms.
“Around 80% of disabilities are hidden, and we want our colleagues to feel able to bring their whole selves to work and be confident and open about their disabilities without being defined by them. Supporting the Valuable 500 is a natural step on this journey for us, and we look forward to sharing and learning within this network to improve the lives of our colleagues.”
Founder of The Valuable 500, Caroline Casey, welcomed Travis Perkins, which is one of today’s 30 new joiners of the movement from across the world: “We are delighted to see the momentum of the sign up to The Valuable 500 continuing throughout the global pandemic, demonstrating that businesses are listening and taking action to create a more inclusive society globally. We wholeheartedly welcome Travis Perkins and the latest members, who are joining, at this critical tipping point as business is presented with a unique opportunity to remould and remake itself.”
“As we edge ever closer to the deadline for completing the UN goals, there are still huge strides to be made. Sadly, the pandemic has widened inequalities with fear of increased poverty and further impact to the environment, and so it is more important than ever that we work together across sectors and geographies to achieve inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment which allow persons with disabilities to fully access the job market, and that we work towards the social, economic and political inclusion of persons with disabilities; seen and unseen.”
