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Is Your Workplace Accessible or Just Compliant? Time to Find Out
When I ask the question, Is your workplace accessible or just compliant, it is not just theory. It comes from lived experience that completely reshaped my life. In 2014, I woke up paralysed from the waist down, diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Overnight I had to relearn everything, from navigating my home to stepping back into professional spaces. Suddenly the world around me looked very different. Places that proudly claimed to be accessible were often only compliant, and I quickly learned through countless frustrating experiences that compliance does not always equal inclusion. That difference is what drives my passion today to challenge organisations to look deeper.
Compliance is the Minimum Standard
I have lost count of the number of times I arrived at a venue with a ramp at the back door, or an accessible toilet that was used as a storage room. I even went to a restaurant once where the disabled toilet was up six steps. Another example is an open office with one metre between desks, which might look compliant on paper, but once you add in people and chairs it quickly becomes inaccessible. Technically compliant, yes, but truly accessible? No. Compliance is about ticking boxes, and if your workplace stops there, you are doing the bare minimum. For more on this, read my blog on Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones.
Accessibility is About People
Accessibility is not about ramps, lifts, or policies. It is about people. I remember going to meetings where colleagues spoke over me because they could not see past my disability. In those moments I felt invisible, as though my voice and experience carried less value simply because of how I entered the room. That is not accessibility, that is compliance without understanding. True accessibility is about more than structures, it is about culture, attitude, and empathy. It is about creating an environment where everyone, regardless of ability, can contribute fully, feel respected, and thrive without barriers placed in their way. You can see more about this in my blog Inclusion in Action: How to Build a Truly Diverse and Supportive Community.
Why It Matters to Me and to Business
When I started rebuilding my life, sport became a powerful outlet. Competing in wheelchair rugby and basketball, and even climbing mountains with braces on my legs, taught me that barriers can be overcome. But these are extreme.
Many domestic barriers should not have been there in the first place.
Business success is a passion for me. I enjoy seeing people succeed and businesses become fully invested in their future. What frustrates me is seeing money wasted on compliance without accessibility being placed at the forefront. Business is about the bottom line, I understand that, but profit is built on loyalty and reputation. The truth is, businesses that stop at compliance miss out on opportunities. The Purple Pound, the spending power of disabled people and their families, is worth over £274 billion annually in the UK. Yet 96% of websites remain inaccessible. Every time a company fails to prioritise accessibility, they are closing the door on talent, customers, and opportunity. I spoke about this recently in my Sopra Steria talk on accessibility and inclusion.
How I Help Organisations Move Beyond Compliance
This is why I am passionate about delivering inclusive audits. Through my consultancy and my role as Head of Inclusion at Champions UK PLC, I work with leaders to uncover hidden barriers and challenge them to think differently. It might be inaccessible tech that silently excludes staff, outdated recruitment practices that filter out brilliant candidates, or workplace culture that unintentionally sidelines people and costs the business valuable loyalty.
Audits are not about catching people out. They are about holding up a mirror and shining a light on where things can be stronger. I bring professional expertise and hard won personal insight, and I will challenge assumptions as well as highlight opportunities. My goal is to inspire leaders to act, not just to comply.
My Message to You
I have stood at the bottom of Kilimanjaro in leg braces. I have crutched to Everest Base Camp. I have faced boardrooms and classrooms to speak about resilience and inclusion. And through it all, one truth stands out: accessibility is not about meeting regulations, it is about unlocking potential.
So let me ask again, is your workplace accessible or just compliant? If you hesitate on the answer, then you already know there is work to do. Compliance alone will never inspire loyalty or drive growth, but accessibility will. It will shape reputation, attract talent, and secure long term success.
Do not wait for legislation or pressure to push you forward. Take action now. Reach out for an inclusive audit, challenge your assumptions, and build a workplace where every person can thrive. Because when you invest in accessibility, you are not only doing the right thing, you are investing in the future of your business.