Disability

Disability is a key focus of our diversity work – in terms of our employees, customers and the community projects we pursue.

In March 2006 we began to work in partnership with the Shaw Trust in the UK. The Trust helps us to identify disabled candidates for work and to manage any necessary physical adjustments to the workplace.

Initially we are concentrating on recruiting more people with physical disability but hope to extend this to others, such as those with learning disabilities. The Trust is working closely with us as we continue recruiting new employees for our new call centre in Glasgow.

Danuta Gray, Chief Executive Officer, O2 Ireland, champions our Group-wide diversity and equal opportunities programme and our Irish business is particularly focused on disability.

During the year O2 Ireland sponsored the second O2 Ability Awards, continued with a project to help people with dyslexia into work and formed a new charity partnership with Irish Autism Action.

In addition, O2 Ireland has partnered with disability management consultants Access Ability to help in a recruitment and induction programme for people with disabilities, including ensuring access to highly skilled vacancies.

Across the Group, we have 101 employees who register themselves as having a disability – representing less than one per cent of the total workforce. We believe the actual figure is much higher as many people with disabilities do not identify themselves as registered disabled and data is not captured in all countries.