Arsenal Football Club has hosted a special event focused on accessibility and inclusion in the workplace alongside Google Pixel, London Met University, and Microlink.
The club welcomed local partners, businesses, and disabled communities to the Emirates Stadium to share experiences and knowledge and learn about some of the solutions and actions that can be taken to improve outcomes in work for disabled people.
The event highlighted research published by London Met University and Islington Council that showed over half of disabled people in the borough are out of work, a problem facing the UK more generally.
“Inclusion is a force for progress,” said Hannah Mansour, Director of Environmental, Social & Governance at Arsenal.
“When we surround ourselves with new and different perspectives, we make better decisions, which drives us forward. At the core of that is a sense of belonging – where we feel we can contribute to growth and progress.
“That’s what we’re striving towards at Arsenal, and we were delighted to share this perspective with our partners and local community at our home in north London, with the goal of supporting better employment outcomes for disabled people.
“It’s important to lift each other on this journey – sharing experiences, solutions, and areas for improvement – so that we can build a more connected and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong.”
Arsenal was the first professional football club to achieve Disability Confident Leader status in 2018 and retained this status earlier this year, part of an ongoing commitment to being a diverse and inclusive club for its people.
Disability Confident is a free government scheme designed to help businesses recruit and retain disabled employees. By removing barriers that might be preventing disabled people from accessing employment, businesses can draw from the widest pool of talent and create a culture of understanding.
Arsenal has also taken action for disabled supporters in collaboration with the Arsenal Disabled Supporters’ Association, to understand and address the challenges faced by disabled supporters.
“Open and constructive collaboration between the club and its disabled supporters has been our success story at Arsenal, transforming the matchday experience for all those with disabilities and access requirements,” said Anthony Joy, chair of the Arsenal Disabled Supporters’ Association.
“This event will help us take the next step in providing new services and make further improvements for our supporters, and its employees.”
To find out more about accessibility at Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium visit https://www.arsenal.com/accessguide
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