- Launching to coincide with national Autism awareness month, Ability aims to support the business to be a truly disability confident employer
- Greene King will offer additional support to hiring managers throughout the business and encourage them to make reasonable adjustments when recruiting those with disabilities
Greene King, the UK’s leading pub company and brewer has announced a new inclusion group, Ability, to support team members with disabilities, as part of its continued journey to everyday inclusion.
Launching on 4 April to mark national Autism awareness month, Ability is an employee led inclusion group designed to support disabled team members already within the business, as well as encouraging more disabled workers to join the 40,000 strong Greene King family.
Through a series of guides and training materials, Ability will help to raise awareness of different disabilities, both visible and non-visible, and the different challenges they present to employees.
For anyone with a disability looking to join the business, Greene King is also offering additional guidance to help hiring managers provide reasonable adjustments to the interview stage where possible, making the process more accessible.
To further support those with disabilities, Greene King has signed up to Disability Confident, a government scheme that provides employers with the confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Greene King has received the Level 1 Disability Confident Committed certificate and aims to progress through levels 2 & 3 of the scheme.
Matt Starbuck, Managing Director of Brewing and Brands and executive sponsor of Ability said, ‘I’m honoured to be sponsoring Ability, our employee led inclusion group. Fostering inclusion for all our team members through greater understanding of both visible and non-visible disabilities is something I’m really passionate about.
“Ability will champion awareness and help us in extending our welcome to colleagues and customers with additional needs and give us something we can all be really proud of.”
This follows Greene King’s Supported Internships programme which provides 16-24 year old’s who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) an opportunity to develop life skills and experience the world of work. Working in partnership with Landmarks Specialist College the ambition is to offer participants a job at the end of the 9 month work experience.
Ability launches on Monday 4 April to mark the start of national Autism awareness month. For more information, visit: https://autismplus.co.uk/whats-on/autism-awareness-month
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
About Greene King:
- Greene King was founded in 1799 and is headquartered in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. It currently employs around 40,000 people across its five divisions: Local Pubs; Destination Food Brands; Premium, Urban and Venture Brands; Pub Partners; and Brewing & Brands.
- It operates c.2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland, of which c.1,700 are retail pubs, restaurants and hotels in the Locals, Destination and Premium, Urban and Venture divisions, and c.1,000 are tenanted and leased pubs in its Pub Partners division. Its leading retail brands and formats include Hungry Horse, Farmhouse Inns and Chef & Brewer.
- The Brewing & Brands division covers the brewing sides of the business, with quality ale brands brewed at the Greene King brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. The industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best
Press release from Greene King
For more information, or any other media inquiries please contact greeneking@wearebrazenpr.com